TN students, parents protest against govt move to exempt NEET

The Central and state governments' decision to exempt Tamil Nadu from the implemetnation of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for MBBS and dental college admissions in Tamil Nadu for a year has created confusion and chaos. Critics alleged that it is purely a political decision, and parents and students based in urban areas have protested against the move.

The issue is expected to go to the courts for consideration again.

On Monday, the state health department prepared an ordinance and handed over the draft to the Centre.

While both the Union and state governments have justified their stand to exempt NEET saying it is to help the students from rural areas; parents and students based in the urban area and social workers came down heavily on the governments.

Parents and students gathered at Kilpauk in Chennai on Monday and raised slogans against the government's decision. "We never had a level playing field. With board marks, they have an advantage over others," said a student who is favouring NEET.

On Sunday, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Commerce & Industry Nirmala Sitharaman said the Centre may co-operate with the state government to get a temporary exemption for Tamil Nadu from implementing the test in government colleges and for the government quota seats in private institutions.

Experts suggested that exclusion of Tamil Nadu students from NEET examination is unjustified and biased. Angry parents wanted the government to produce data reflecting the number of students from rural areas who have enrolled in medical colleges in the last few years. They want Tamil Nadu government to release NEET rank of the students and prove the so called urban-rural bias.

Former Union finance minsiter P Chidambaram's wife and the city-based lawyer Nalini Chidambaram, who has taken up the cause of students in favour of NEET said the ordinance is an "eyewash" and it is being done in the name of rural students.

She said only 250 of the 30,000 medical seats in the state were sought by rural students. They will not benefit from this ordinance, she said, adding it was done with an eye on the management quota seats. Chidambaram said the ordinance is unconstitutional and she will challenge it in the court.

Tamil Nadu had scrapped the practice of entrance examinations for admission to medical courses and granted admission on the basis of marks obtained by a student in class 12 board exam. This practice was adopted to provide an even ground to students from rural and underprivileged sections who could not afford expensive coaching for entrance exams. With NEET being made compulsory from this year, such students were at a disadvantage, the state government had argued.

Politics over NEET

The opposition parties and the ruling party are favouring an exemption of the NEET examination on a permanent basis. The parties also held demonstrations and protests asking the Centre to exempt Tamil Nadu from NEET. However, a political outfit Puthiya Tamizhagam has conducted a demonstration in Chennai seeking implementation of NEET and its founder K Krishnasamy told a newspaper that the issue has become a political slogan and the parties have little regard for the welfare of the students.

Political analysts say the latest decision of the Centre is in tune with Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) growing aspirations in the state at a time when the ruling party is struggling in terms of leadership. 

On January 31, Tamil Nadu introduced bill in the Legislative Assembly to exempt aspirants from appearing in the NEET for admission to medical and dental colleges and the state Assembly unanimously adopted the bill. Later, the bill was sent to President for approval.

Meanwhile, in June the state government issued an order reserving 85 per cent of MBBS and BDS seats to state board students and only 15 per cent for CBSE and other boards. However, this was quashed by the Madras High Court holding that it amounted to discrimination among equals.

The Centre would not entertain the state's request to exempt NEET for three years, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan said, adding that such a move by political parties would only be disadvantageous to the Tamil Nadu student community and destroy their future prospects. The Centre would only consider exempting the state for the current year, he said. 

The NEET exemption for 2017 is applicable for government quota seats in the government and private medical colleges.