CHENNAI: The ruling DMK government is not against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) as long as it is conducted fairly and transparently, said Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly (TNLA) Speaker M Appavu on Sunday.
Speaking at an awareness rally to commemorate the seventh National Naturopathy Day in Egmore, Appavu emphasised that the issue was about how the national-level test for medical education across the country was conducted and who was conducting it.
He specifically pointed out that the National Testing Agency (NTA), a private organisation, is currently in charge of conducting NEET.
"We are not against NEET, but we are against the unfair and opaque manner in which it is being conducted," Appavu stressed.
Later, however, he said the State was also concerned that the current system of admission under NEET was affecting students from Tamil Nadu due to the grace mark system. Also, he added, NEET was damaging the State's education system, which is considered to be one of the best in India.
"If NEET is conducted honestly and transparently, we have no issues with it. The ruling DMK government has been trying to abolish NEET in Tamil Nadu due to concerns over its impact on the State's students and education system," the Speaker added.
While the senior leader maintained that the lack of transparency was the root of the problem, it is only one of the several faults that the party has found with NEET, the most crucial of which is the creeping intrusion of the Centre into education, a subject in the Concurrent list, without the consent or even discussion with states.
Meanwhile, Appavu also appealed to the public and journalists to urge the Centre to release tax and other dues to the State.