The second phase of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for medical courses will be held on July 24 as per schedule, the Supreme Court held on Tuesday. A bench of Justices AR Dave, Shiva Kirti Singh and A K Goel said that a common test for MBBS and BDS courses was better for students in the country, as against multiple tests across the country that also involve a lot of money, spent on various forms. The court was hearing pleas by various state governments to allow multiple medical entrance tests, instead of the common one it had ruled on last week.

The apex court bench asked the Centre and the state governments to start preparing for the second phase of the common test, even as it agreed to hear the pleas by the states and private medical colleges challenging the verdict, reported the Times of India. On being informed about the confusion created among students and parents by the court proceedings, the bench asked the Central Board of Secondary Education to advertise in newspapers to clarify the position on the common entrance test. The court will hear the matter next on Thursday.