Opposition to NEET gains momentum in Tamil Nadu

Chennai: Opposition to the NEET has gained momentum in the State with political parties, educationists and social activists raising their voices against it after three medical course aspirant girls committed suicide. They resorted to the extreme step soon after learning that they were not qualified in Neet-2019.

 Tamil Nadu has about 4,000 MBBS seats in 24 government and 14 private medical colleges. The State allots central quota of 15 per cent of total seats in MBBS and BDS and 50 per cent in PG medical courses.

Neet examination was introduced in the state amid stiff opposition from the people in 2016. Various political parties expressed their opposition and opposed the Centre for refusing to consider the interests of the people in Tamil Nadu. The 'discriminatory' NEET has allegedly claimed the lives of three lives of medical course aspirants in Tamil Nadu within two days. Earlier, S Anitha and S Prathiba - took their lives after not being able to clear Neet, even though they had passed the 10+2 Examination with distinction in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

 Neet has become an emotional issue in the State and there has been hue and cry soon after death of Anitha in 2017. It has been considered discriminatory against students from rural areas and students from government schools, who are pitted against those coming from the urban areas across the country.

The students hailing from urban region have better educational facilities. The competitive examination is based on the syllabus of CBSE as opposed to the state's syllabus.

 Dr.G. R. Ravindranath, General Secretary of Doctor's Association for Social Equality, said the Central Government has "clandestinely violated" the reservation policy followed in the country by "cleverly preparing" a separate list for All-India rank and another list for 'Unreserved' category.

 Normally the candidates who secured high marks and belonged to all the categories, including OBC, SC and STs, would be included in the All India merit list or Open Merit List and another list - 'Reserved Category', would include the candidates who secured high marks in OBC, SC and STs categories. However, the Centre has violated provisions of the Constitution by introducing 'Unreserved' category. Neet is against the social equality, he said.

 Besides, MBBS and Dental courses, the students from State would be discriminated in the admission into Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy, consist of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy as the state government has decided to conduct admission for these courses taking into consideration the marks scored by the aspirants in Neet-2019, from the current academic year onward.

 Prior to the introduction of the Neet, at least 20 to 30 students from Government schools got admission into medical courses in the State.

After Neet this has come down to only 2. It may be noted that only 2 students from government schools secured admission into medical colleges in 2017, through the NEET examination and last year it was just 4 students. This year, it is not known the scores of students and no Tamil students secured a berth in the top 50 merit list.

  Prince Gajendra Babu, an educationalist says Neet is nothing but a social injustice examination. A majority of students who cleared the exam are from the north meaning they will get more medical seats in our state. A large number of students hailing from Northern India secure admission in medical colleges in the State. The students hailing from TN face hardship when they study medical courses in Northern India.

 According to Ramalingam, an educationist, the government has not revised the syllabus of the students for several years. After the introduction of Neet, the Government must have revised the school curriculum suitable to Neet. The school teachers also not updated with the development and improved their teaching method.  Government schools also lack infrastructures.

 This year the government had not taken sincere efforts to conduct special coaching classes to the medical course aspiring students. Even the crash course was conducted after the 10+2 final examination. Golden period was lost, he added.

 Dr.G. R.Ravindranath says "we want the State to be exempted from Neet and highlighting this Tamil Nadu sent two Bills to the Centre for approval. President has not signed these Bills. All the political parties, social activists and people must unite together and fight for exemption the State from the Neet.