CHENNAI: Tamil actor Suriya Sivakumar on Saturday submitted a representation to the state government's high-level panel studying the impact of the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET).
Reiterating his stance against the test, he said that it wrecked the future of students from marginalised communities.
He released a statement on behalf of his Agaram Foundation, an education NGO, and said that the foundation has submitted the letter to the panel.
In his statement, he said that students from marginalised communities did not get the same standard of education as those from rich backgrounds.
"Hence in such an education structure, conducting nation-wide ‘common’ entrance exams for all is against social justice," he said.
The actor also urged the public to submit their opinions on NEET before June 23, elaborating, “It is only imperative that we rightfully keep the government and change makers informed about our concerns in exams like NEET, if not such ‘common’ exams, can sabotage the future of our children.”
Suriya further stressed that education, which is in the concurrent list of the state and central government, should be the responsibility of the state alone.
“A country like India that is diverse in language and culture. It is only fair if the education system is in the hands of its state," he opined, urging all state political parties to unite and work towards achieving this.
The Tamil Nadu government on June 5 announced that a high-level panel headed by Justice AK Rajan will be set up to study the impact of NEET on medical admissions in the state.
The Directorate of Medical Education on June 17 invited the members of public to write their opinion on NEET and its impact on the admission to neetimpact2021@gmail.com.