Educationists and activists welcome Tamil Nadu's Neet bill in assembly

Chennai: With UG and PG Neet bills having been tabled in the state assembly on Tuesday, educationists and activists have welcomed the move, stating that the efforts by the state government will safeguard the state board students.

“Though the Doctors’ Association for Social Equality (Dase) welcomes the decision of tabling the Neet UG and Neet PG laws, we are disappointed that the government has not come out with a Neet super specialty law which would reserve the super specialty seats in Tamil Nadu alone,” said Dr. G. R. Ravindranath of the Doctors’ Association for Social Equality.  

“Until the 2015-16 academic year, we had 100 percent seats of the seats reserved for the state students alone,” he said.  “The coaching institutions and private schools are charging exorbitant amounts from the students in the name of Neet coaching. The classrooms will lose their importance if the entrance exam is implemented in the state,” he said.

A principal of the CBSE school in Chennai said Neet recognised the meritorious students. “In the field of medical science, the admission should be made based on merit. Last year five students from our school were benefitted by Neet. While understanding the state’s move considering the welfare of the majority of the students, I still support the Neet,” she said.

“The syllabus for Neet is entirely different from the state board syllabus. Exempting the state from the exam will benefit rural students. Meanwhile, the state government also should upgrade the state syllabus which is 12 years old to prepare the students for competitive exams,” said Sami Sathiamoorthy, president, Tamil Nadu High and Higher Secondary Schools’ Headmasters Association.

P.B. Prince Gajendrababu, general secretary, State Platform for Common School System, said, “Neet has nothing to do to make a person eligible. It is only filtering and ensuring that major section of society does not come to professional courses. If the government wishes to qualify the students it has to strengthen the higher secondary syllabus and teaching.”

“The state government opposed the common entrance test from the beginning and along in that line they brought the bill. After passing it in the assembly, the state government should ensure of getting the President of India’s assent,” he said.

“It is a welcome move as education and health are state subjects and therefore the Centre should refrain from interfering in it. Each state has its own strengths and weaknesses,” said Dr V. Kanagasabai, registrar, Bharath University, and former director of Medical Education.

“So far, CBSE syllabus is being studied by only 10 to 15 percent of the state students. A majority of the students study in the state board syllabus. Suddenly introducing a new syllabus, which our students are not exposed to is unfair,” he said.