Tamil Nadu moves bill seeking exemption from NEET; MBBS admission on class 12 marks

Earlier on Sunday, state Chief Minister MK Stalin speaking after the NEET UG candidate committed suicide, said that the NEET is a major issue in the country.

Tamil Nadu Government today tabled a Bill in the state assembly seeking a permanent exception for Tamil Nadu from the national level medical entrance examination, NEET. As per the state government, the bill will ensure social justice and protect all vulnerable student communities from being discriminated in admission to medical education courses.

In this bill, Tamil Nadu government has suggested to admit students in medical courses based on class 12th marks.

Thiru. Ma. Subramanian, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Tamil Nadu today introduced the Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Medical Degree Courses Bill, 2021 for exempting the state from the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). Tamil Nadu has over 3600 MBBS seats in private colleges alone.

Earlier on Sunday, state Chief Minister MK Stalin speaking after the NEET UG candidate committed suicide, said that the NEET is a major issue in the country. “Another death at the altar of NEET…Tomorrow we will bring a permanent exemption bill for NEET. Let us take NEET as an issue of the Indian subcontinent," Stalin wrote on Twitter.

Recently, the Stalin government in a policy note stated that an official committee for by the TN Government has suggested the enactment of a fresh law to provide for admission to professional degrees like medicine on the basis of marks obtained in the qualifying exam and to get exemption from NEET.

In 2017, a similar Bill was adopted to exempt the state from NEET, however, it did not get the President's assent. The current bill also seeks permanent exemption from NEET.

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin in the Legislative Assembly said: "Today, I have presented the resolution against NEET. You (AIADMK) also brought this resolution. I urge opposition parties to extend their support to this resolution."

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, MK Stalin

NEET Exemption: Statement of Objects and Reasons

Since the academic year, 2017-2018 admission to all medical education institutions throughout the country at the undergraduate and postgraduate level is based on the marks obtained in the uniform entrance examination, NEET.

As per the state government, a detailed study was undertaken by the statement government-appointed committee to understand whether the NEET based admission process has adversely affected the social, economic and federal polity and the students of rural and urban poor.

The High-Level Committee in its finding has reported that the NEET has clearly undermined the diverse societal representation in MBBS and higher medical studies, favouring mainly the affordable and affluent segment of the society while equally thwarting the dream of pursuing medical education by the underprivileged social groups.

The analysis in multiples dimensions related to Social, Economic and Other Demographic Status (SEODS) of those who have competed for medical education has proved this fact In particular, the NEET has deserted the representation of the social and other demographic groups having low Soo° Economic and Other Demographic Status (SEODS) in medical education.

Tamil Medium Most Affected

The report states that due to NEET exam, the social groups which were mostly affected were the students of Tamil medium, having rural background of Government schools those having parental income less than 2.5 Lakhs per annum and the socially depressed and disadvantaged groups like Most Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Therefore the Committee concludes that the NEET is against these disadvantaged groups.

“The NEET does not seem to ensure merit or standard of the students being offered MBBS under its purview. The findings indicate that the NEET has only enabled and empowered comparatively the low performing (in NEET scores and HSc scores) students to get admission to MBBS,” the Statement by TN Govt reads.

NEET, Does not ensure quality, merit

It further states that therefore, the question of NEET ensuring the quality and merit of the students is to be ruled out. Comparatively, it has been observed that the HSc marks based on which admissions were offered during the pre-NEET period ensured entry of quality and meritorious students.

The Committee has recommended. among others that the state government may pass an Act similar to that of the Tamil Nadu Admission in Professional Institutions Act, 2006 (Tamil Nadu Act 3 of 2007) indicating the need for elimination of NEET at all levels all Medical Education and get the President's assent for the same.

This will ensure social justice and protect all vulnerable student communities from being discriminated in admission to medical education programmes.

The state government has stated that it is evident from the Commission's report that NEET is not an equitable method of admission. The experience of the past four years of NEET has shown that the exam has shattered the hopes and dreams of Tamil Nadu students aspiring for admissions to medical and dental courses, particularly, students from the socially and economically backward classes.
The extra examination which students are compelled to face other than the qualifying examination has caused a huge financial burden to the students from socially and economically backward classes.

Shortage of Doctors in state

The state government has also stated that students from the affluent class getting into MBBS, BDS courses through NEET, after the undergraduate course, do not serve in the rural areas. It reads: “They often pursue a postgraduate course abroad. Thus, the number of serving doctors in the State is declining It is also spurious to suggest that NEET improves the standard of medical education.

The standard of medical education is maintained during the undergraduate course by following the syllabus and curriculum prescribed by the National Medical Commission and exams conducted by the University before awarding degrees.

Therefore, the State is competent to regulate the same against the underprivileged social groups. The Government, after careful consideration of the recommendation of the High-Level committee, has moved the bill for exemption from NEET.

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