CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi who faced the wrath of many political parties for his staunch support to the NEET for delaying a decision on the anti-NEET Bill of the DMK government, on Saturday encountered a plea from a parent in person at the Raj Bhavan to give his assent to the Bill since he is unaware of the fact that the governor has already forwarded it to the President.
The governor initially turned down the plea of the parent vociferously saying that ' he would never give clearance for the anti-NEET Bill', later said now the Bill is under the consideration of the President and that she alone is the competent authority to decide on the Bill.
KR Ammasiyappan Ramasamy, an employee of the Salem Steel Plant, who attended the interactive session of the governor with the top scorers of NEET at the Raj Bhavan, asked the governor when he would clear the anti-NEET Bill.
Responding, the governor said, “I will be the last man to give the clearance to that Bill. Because I do not want our children to feel intellectually disabled. I want our children to compete and be the best.”
The unconvinced parent went on and listed many achievements of Tamil Nadu in the medical field in the past that were done without the NEET. To this, the governor said, “What you have achieved without NEET will no longer be sufficient for the future. Sit down."
Ramasamy did not give up his attempt and said a lot of parents are unable to spend money (for coaching) to get their children to pass the NEET. Answering, the governor said, “I am telling you very frankly. I will never give clearance to the NEET Bill. Let it be very clear. Anyway, it has gone to the President and it is in the Concurrent List. It is a subject on which only the President has the competence to give clearance. But given to me I shall never give it.”
Putting forth his case strongly, the governor said the necessity of coaching for NEET is a myth. “In many places, the schools had taught the students (about facing NEET). I know that the students cleared the NEET without going to coaching institutions. We cannot blame the examinations if the teaching standards are low. We have to raise the standards. Whatever they're in the CBSE book, nothing beyond that is needed (for taking NEET).”
The governor also said a wrong impression has been created that without NEET, we were doing well. “Before NEET was introduced, the number of poor students in government schools was hardly less than 200. In 2016–17, when NEET was introduced, the number came down. Before NEET, it was highly commercialised and controlled by a strong and powerful lobby,” the governor added.
Later, talking to reporters, Ramasamy, said his daughter has cleared the NEET and got admission in the Chengalpattu Government Medical College. “As a parent, I can not accept the reasons given by the governor in support of the NEET. I want the NEET to be banned. I am not making this demand not out of frustration. I succeeded in making my daughter clear the NEET. But I don't want the NEET. The amount spent for giving coaching to the students is equal to the overall expenses incurred for a parent to make their children study up to Plus Two. So, those who afford it, clear the NEET and the poor cannot,” Ramasamy added.
Ramasamy said for the past five years, students were facing difficulties in taking the NEET and now they have found the way and the coaching centres are behind their success. Many schools have tied up with coaching centres for NEET. “It is said that a student will have three attempts to clear the NEET. Just think about the situation of the student who needs to study the same subject for three years. The entire Tamil Nadu wants the NEET to be banned,” he added.