Why give hope, kill it, parents ask Tamil Nadu

DECCAN CHRONICLE.
Published Aug 23, 2017, 1:40 am IST
SC order on Neet stuns medical aspirants.

Supreme Court

Chennai: Though the long wait for medical aspirants came to an end on Tuesday by the Supreme Court’s order, for many, the order has shattered their medical dreams. Some of the top scorers in Neet were also left disappointed as the state and central governments have raised false hopes at the last minute.

Many parents who spoke to this paper blamed the state government for lack of clarity and confusion in the medical admissions. Narmada from Salem district, said she had no other option but to send her daughter for Neet coaching this year following the court order.

“My daughter has got 198.5 out of 200 in medical cutoff marks. She got only 236 marks in Neet as she prepared for both the state board exams and common medical entrance exam. The state government should not have given false hopes to students,” she said.

Thirumurugan’s son Sathisvar has got the rare double. He got 200 out of 200 marks in medical cutoff and got 435 marks in Neet exam. “With the state board marks, he would have got the Madras Medical College. Now, we have to settle for any one of the government medical colleges. The prolonged delay in medical admission has created stress among the parents and students,” he said.

“Though many students have been affected by this order, the parents by and large are relieved as it has ended the confusion in medical admission. Even, if the admission based on the plus 2 marks, the Neet qualified candidates would have affected,” he added.

Muthuvel, another parent from the Cuddalore district who runs a small shop said the Neet based medical admission has affected his son’s medical dreams.

“The Supreme Court has asked the state government and medical council to come out with the formula so both the interests of Neet qualified candidates and state board students would be safeguarded. Now, with this order, the interest of state board students will be affected. It is against the provisions of the Constitution,” said P.B. Prince Gajendrababu, general secretary, State Platform for Common School System.

He further stated that the state government should take all the parties in the state to Delhi and seek exemption from the Neet for at least from next academic year.

Dr G.R. Ravindranath, general secretary, Doctors Association for Social Equality stated that the Central government has betrayed the Tamil Nadu students by not giving exemption from Neet.

State betrayed by Centre, says Oppn

Describing the centre’s volte-face on the Neet issue in the Supreme Court was a betrayal of Tamil Nadu, DMK working president M.K. Stalin said people of the state would give a fitting reply to both the BJP and AIADMK.

Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami should own responsibility and resign even before the confidence motion, he said. Besides, health minister C. Vijayabaskar and AIADMK MPs including Lok Sabha deputy leader M. Thambidurai should resign their posts.

Pointing out that Union minister Nirmala Seetharaman had admitted that rural students would be affected by Neet and promised to help Tamil Nadu for one year. He said Tamil Nadu had been severely affected by the BJP government opposed to social justice and reservation policy, he said.

Coming out with similar views, CPI state secretary R. Mutharasan alleged that the state and central governments had acted against the students of Tamil Nadu.

The centre itself could bring out an ordinance to exempt Tamil Nadu from Neet, he said. TMC leader G.K. Vasan too said the Centre could bring an ordinance to exempt Tamil Nadu from Neet or modify the Medical Council of India’s guidelines.

Describing the efforts by the state and Centre to get exemption for Neet as a drama enacted by both, PMK youth wing leader Anbumani Ramadoss said people would not forgive both the governments which betrayed the people at the eleventh hour.