Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government is reportedly considering providing a sub-quota for government school students passing the prestigious National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). The information to this effect was announced by Chief Minister K Palaniswami on March 21st.
He stated during a recent state assembly session that the number of government school students joining medical colleges in the state after the introduction of NEET has come down. The government was already involved in a "legal battle" against NEET in the Supreme Court, he added informing the members that the government was mulling enacting a special law to enable a sub-quota for government school students from the state clearing the test.
This will apply for students who had studied from Class Class I to XII in government, corporation and municipality-run schools, among others, he added.
Read Also: Tamil Nadu NEET Fraud: Madras HC grants bail to 2 MBBS students; denies relief to parents
PTI quotes the CM as saying that a Commission headed by a retired high court judge would be set up to guide the government in the matter.
"The commission will comprise secretaries of School education, family welfare, and law departments and two educationists appointed by the school education department," he said. The medical education director would be Member-Secretary of the Commission. The Commission would study the reasons for a dip in the number of government school students joining medical courses in Tamil Nadu and their economic background and make its suggestions to it within one month.
Stating that admission of students to medical courses based on NEET qualification was implemented in 2016-17 academic year by the Centre, he mentioned that due to former chief minister late J Jayalalithaa''s efforts, Tamil Nadu was given an exemption that year. "Amma government, public, and the state strongly oppose NEET," he said, adding, a resolution was passed in the Assembly in 2017 opposing it.
Palaniswami said the government has filed a case in the Supreme Court against NEET where the government was highlighting how it was affecting rural students. The Chief Minister said after implementing NEET, the number of government school students opting to study in medical colleges in the state has decreased. The government was firm that this should not continue, he added.
In November last year, the division bench at Madras HC, comprising Justices N Kirubakaran and P Velmurugan had stated that NEET discriminates against the poor and instead of giving the expected good results, has benefited only students who spend lakhs of rupees on coaching classes and put rural students at a disadvantage.
Disclaimer: This site is primarily intended for healthcare professionals. Any content/information on this website does not replace the advice of medical and/or health professionals and should not be construed as medical/diagnostic advice/endorsement or prescription. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use, privacy policy, advertisement policy. © 2020 Minerva Medical Treatment Pvt Ltd