‘Writing NEET has become a traumatic experience for many’

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

: Tamil Nadu on Tuesday became the first State to introduce Bills in the Legislative Assembly to exempt aspirants from appearing for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) to get admission into medical and dental colleges.

The first Bill — The Tamil Nadu Admission to MBBS and BDS Courses Bill 2017 — said: “It has been opined that the uniform entrance examination has become a traumatic experience for the parents and children, as it appears to determine at one stroke the future of the child. The Higher Secondary Examination itself is a serious examination of merit casting a high burden on students, and is [in] itself very much an entrance test to get admitted to higher level and professional courses; this obviates the need for any separate uniform entrance examination thereafter,” it has been argued.

Moreover, the syllabus, methodology and the content for NEET was based on the syllabus prescribed for by the Central Board of School Education (CBSE), which was different from the syllabus prescribed by the Board of Higher Secondary Examination in Tamil Nadu.

As for the admission to post-graduate medical programmes, the Bill (the Tamil Nadu Admission to Postgraduate Courses in Medicine and Dentistry Bill, 2017) tabled in the House stated that the present system of admissions ensured quality healthcare to people of Tamil Nadu, especially those living in rural, remote and hilly areas. Currently, over 50% cent of the seats are filled on the condition that that they (those on government service) serve till superannuation or (non-service doctors) serve the government for at least two years.

If NEET were to be conducted, the scheme being followed by the State government in regard to admission to such courses “would be thrown out of gear, and the avowed objective of providing quality healthcare to the rural and needy people would be defeated,” it stated.

PMK praises move

Meanwhile, PMK founder Dr. S. Ramadoss has welcomed the move to pass a law that would exempt Tamil Nadu from NEET.