BHUBANESWAR: Students seeking admission to Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) streams in the State from the next academic year will have to appear National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).
The State Health and Family Welfare Department on Tuesday issued a notification asking the Chairman of Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) to cancel its earlier notice for the examinations for admission into Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) and Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS).
“The notification has been made as per the direction of Union Ministry of AYUSH, which states that admission into AYUSH under graduate courses shall be compulsory through NEET merit list from 2018-19 academic year,” Additional Secretary Hari Ballav Mishra said in his letter to OJEE chief.
Earlier, OJEE used to carry out entrance test for admission to both BAMS and BHMS under graduate courses.
“Since the OJEE authority has already published the advertisement, it needs to be cancelled as per the decision of AYUSH Ministry and necessary publication be made for cancellation of admission process of BAMS and BHMS courses through OJEE,” the notification stated.
Even as the new policy is expected to attract meritorious students to train in traditional methods of AYUSH applications, several aspirants expressed displeasure over the sudden announcement.
While the application process has been started from January 31 as per the advertisement by OJEE authority, students who have bought the prospects and application form are in a fix now. “We have purchased the OJEE application for `1,000. Now it will be of no use. We have to buy another application for NEET. The OJEE authority should initiate process for refund of the fee immediately,” said an aspirant.
The single entrance test of NEET, which began for admission into MBBS, BDS and BTech courses since last year, will now be applicable for the allied courses like BAMS and BHMS.
Source: http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2018/feb/14/now-neet-must-for-bams-bhms-aspirants-in-odisha-1773084.html
