Although Telangana and Andhra Pradesh abolished state level Engineering Agriculture and Medical common entrance test (EAMCET) and adopted National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for filling up MBBS and BDS seats, confusion is prevailing over the filling up of Ayush seats, as the Centre has not issued any clear guidelines for filling up of Ayush seats with NEET ranks.

With the adoption of NEET, all the state governments will have to give its 15 per cent share of total MBBS and BDS seats to the National stream, while about 85 per cent of seats can be filled up by the candidates from the native states. But as the center has not issued any guidelines for the filling up of Ayush seats, the students who seek admission into BAMS, BHMS and Unani stream of medicines are confused. It is not clear whether students should get enrolled into NEET or will the state government issues a separate notification for filling up of these seats.

For instance in Telangana state, there are 100 BAMS, 350 BHMS, 175 Unani, Naturopathy and Yoga 30 seats. The state governments used to fill up all these seats with EAMCET ranks. “Candidates with EAMCET ranks between 5000 to 15000 used to get admitted into Ayush seats, but now with the state government discontinuing EAMCET, we are confused, whether a separate notification will be released or will it be filled by NEET ranks,” Madhu Kiran a B.P.C final year student expressed his concern.

Though the central government asked both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments to adopt NEET since 2014, because of issues relating to syllabus, language problems and other technical issues, both the states have asked two years time to streamline themselves and finally have accepted to go with NEET from this academic year (2017). “In fact, informally, many students have been appearing for NEET from the state since its inception, but officially the state government has accepted it from this year onwards and all the MBBS and BDS seats will be filled up with NEET ranks in all the government and private colleges in the state,” said a Senior Officer from Medical Health and Family welfare department.

However, the officials themselves are not clear on the issue of filling up of Ayush seats in the state. “Until last year all the Ayush seats were filled up with EAMCET ranks, but this year there is no clarity from the center about the Ayush admissions. If there is no clarity then the government may go for a separate notification to fill up the Ayush seats,” informed the officer.