CHENNAI: AS many as 412 competitive exam coaching centres (including NEET) will be opened in the State shortly at a cost of `19.80 crore. A GO to this effect was passed on December 5, the Madras High Court was told on Monday.
The centres will be established at panchayat union-level and eight post-graduate teachers deputed to each centre to provide coaching to students from government and government-aided schools. A centralised studio, connecting all 412 centres, will also be established. The authorities are in the process of procuring the required software for the purpose through public tender, the GO said.
Noting that necessary resource materials would be made available covering all competitive exams, the School Education department added that each centre would be provided with 65 guides at a cost of `2,000 each. Justice N Kirubakaran, who recorded the submissions, however, took exception to the submission that only 65 books/guides would be provided to each centre. Instead, the judge wanted the government to discuss the possibility of providing such books to each student enrolled in the centres and posted the matter to December 13 for further hearing.
The issue pertains to a plea filed to ban all protests against NEET, which saw a sudden increase after the death of medical aspirant Anita.Since then, Justice Kirubakaran was issuing various directions to the State government to tackle the issue and was monitoring the case.