TN mulls sub-quota for govt school students clearing NEET

The Tamil Nadu government was considering providing a sub-quota for government school students clearing the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), Chief Minister K Palaniswami said on Saturday.

The number of government school students joining medical colleges in the state after the introduction of NEET has come down, he informed the state Assembly.

The government was already involved in a "legal battle" against NEET in the Supreme Court, he said.

The government was mulling enacting a special law to enable a sub-quota for government school students from the state clearing the test, he said.

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.

A Commission headed by a retired high court judge would be set up to guide the government in the matter, the chief minister said.

"The commission will comprise secretaries of School education, family welfare and law departments and two educationists appointed by the school education department," he said.

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 said 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.