CHENNAI AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting a uniform policy decision to abolish not only the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for medical admissions but all common entrance examinations for admissions into all professional and other courses.
The former CM went on to request the PM to allow the State governments to conduct admissions for these courses based on marks obtained by students in Class 12 exams.
In his letter (a copy was circulated to the media), Mr. Panneerselvam pointed out that the syllabus prescribed for NEET would not provide a level-playing field for students pursuing other syllabi. "The rural students and students from the lower socio-economic background are unable to compete with the urban students in such common entrance examinations, as they lack the requisite training institutions and timely access to course materials," he contended.
The NEET has also put the rural students from poor socio-economic backgrounds at a disadvantage due to the lack of geographical and financial access to requisite training institutions and materials. "The rural poor students cannot afford the fees charged by the coaching centres, which impart training to face such competitive examinations."
Medical professionals were scarce in the rural areas and that it could be mitigated if rural students were admitted to medical courses in government medical colleges by abolishing the NEET exam, he contended. The introduction of NEET has made the admission process difficult for marginalised communities in Tamil Nadu, he said.
Mr. Panneerselvam also recalled the positions taken by the AIADMK against then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa against the NEET and also cited two resolutions passed in the State Legislative Assembly against NEET in 2017. He also thanked the PM for sanctioning 11 medical colleges to Tamil Nadu in a year and also for canceling the Class 12 exams for CBSE students, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
