Centre cooperates with Tamil Nadu for one time exemption from NEET

Finally the mystery over Tamil Nadu seeking to get exemption from the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) has come to an end as State Health Minister C Vijayabaskar voiced the State’s decision to pass an Ordinance that will exempt Tamil Nadu from the NEET for MBBS and BDS admissions to government medical colleges. Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said the Centre is set to cooperate with the State government for this one-time exemption.

The exemption from the NEET will be given only for admission to government medical institutions and the government quota seats in private medical colleges. The State government of Tamil Nadu needed a presidential nod for two bills cleared by the Assembly exempting the State from the Test for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Because the assent remained indefinable, the state government made the Ordinance weeks ago.

Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced said the Ordinance must stipulate that the exemption provided to ‘help’ the rural students to obtain admission in government colleges. Around 4,000 seats are available at present in government colleges, including those submitted by the private medical colleges. She absolutely made it clear that no more exemption for the State from NEET would be offered from next year. “As far as the private colleges (management quota seats) and deemed universities are concerned, the admission of students is already being done as per NEET. The problem comes only in terms of government medical college admissions and also in terms of seats surrendered by private colleges to the government, i.e., for around 4,000 seats. Students from rural areas are finding it difficult to get admissions through NEET — that is our understanding based on the interaction with the State,” she said.

Today (August 14) Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar is submitting the Ordinance to the Centre with Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan visiting the Centre’s officials in New Delhi to accelerate the process.

Over 4.2 lakh plus two students in Tamil Nadu studied under the State board while 4,678 CBSE board candidates competing against one other for medical seats through the NEET. There are opinions and debates over NEET tests based on the CBSE syllabus being in favor of those studesnts who studied under that Board. Two days after Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisami held an official meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Centre's decision to exempt the State was implemented. Senior Ministers from the State met with Union Minister in this regard.

As per the State Health Department the request for this one time exemption was made as the NEET exam has always been challenge to the rural students. The aim of the exemption is to give benefits to the rural students. The ordinance would be drafted in such a way that it does twist the very purpose of NEET. In the view of Union Minister of State for Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan, the exemption granted to Tamil Nadu from NEET is the results of the State Government’s persistent efforts in ensuring the welfare of rural students.