Not-so-NEET report; DMK’s task cut out
The A K Rajan committee, formed by the DMK government in June to study the impact of NEET on students in Tamil Nadu, recently submitted its report to the state government. The panel had sought feedback about the medical entrance test from the people of the state and received more than 85,000 responses, a majority of which, according to Justice Rajan, were against NEET.
Although TN embarked on lengthy legal battles against NEET, from 2017 it was left with no option but to conduct the test and rely on it for medical admissions. But data since its implementation has justified the criticisms of the test as favouring the urban and privileged sections over those from rural and poorer backgrounds. Further, data shows it is now repeat test-takers, and not first-timers, who are taking more of the medical seats through NEET. This, too, privileges the relatively wealthy students over those who cannot afford to spend a year or two preparing for it. The pressures that accompany NEET have been blamed for the deaths by suicide of at least 13 students in the state.
The previous state government sought to deal with the NEET dilemma by offering coaching to government school students but this was only accessible to some of them. It also sought to bring the state board syllabus more in line with the CBSE’s, based on which NEET is framed. It had some success on this front. However, its move to provide a 7.5% quota in medical admissions for government school students had the largest impact till date, with around 300 students gaining medical seats last year. This was more than even pre-NEET.
However, the DMK came to power promising to abolish NEET. Accused of raising the hopes of students, it has so far made the token gesture of seeking an exemption from the test. Simultaneously, it has urged students to prepare for NEET this year. Now, with data from the Rajan panel on its side, it remains to be seen how the state will proceed. While its arguments on federalism and social justice may hold water, without a cogent strategy, the DMK would be at risk of meeting its critics’ expectations of making promises it knew it wouldn’t be able to keep.