The DMK on Thursday urged the Centre to cancel the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to medical courses and instead use Class XII marks to draw up the merit list.
A resolution adopted at the party’s meeting of district secretaries, MLAs and MPs urged the AIADMK government to promulgate an ordinance to dispense with the NEET in Tamil Nadu. The meeting also made a strong case for cancellation of semester examinations in colleges across the State.
The virtual meeting, chaired by party president M.K. Stalin, said that NEET had destroyed the hopes of the poor, middle class and rural students aspiring to become doctors and prevented the creation of adequate medical professionals for rural medical services.
Lacking political will
“Even though a resolution against the NEET was adopted in the Legislative Assembly, lack of political will has come in the way of obtaining the Centre’s nod. The AIADMK government does not have the courage to oppose the announcement that NEET would be conducted on November 13,” the resolution said.
Rejecting the University Grants Commission’s direction that the final semester examinations in colleges should be conducted in September, the meeting said the UGC had taken the decision without taking into account the ground realities in the country.
“The direction should be viewed as an encroachment on the rights of the State governments. Schools and colleges are used as treatment centres for COVID-19 patients. Parents and students are living in different places,” said the resolution, which urged the government to declare students as having completed the courses.
The meeting also decided to hoist black flags in houses of DMK cadre to highlight the anomalies in the electricity tariff and the Tangedco’s failure to give concession to consumers.
