NEET exemption: Javadekar promises to consider CM’s plea

When reporters asked for his comments on the issue on his arrival at the Airport here, he said ‘’We will discuss and take a decision,” without elaborating further.  Later, at a meeting Javadekar had with Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy, the latter apprised him of the two bills passed in the state Assembly on NEET and sought the Centre’s help in this regard. During the meeting, the Chief Minister explained in detail on the admission process being followed in the state and the need to exempt Tamil Nadu from NEET as it would affect large number of students from rural areas and poor background. After giving a patient hearing to the Chief Minister, Javadekar promised to consider the state’s request.

The meeting comes in the backdrop of the last date for applying for NEET exams ending on March 1 and the commencement of Class 12 exams, raising serious concerns among the students and parents. Palanisamy told Javadekar that the state Assembly has recently unanimously approved and passed two Bills for protecting the existing admission policy for UG and PG admissions in Medical and Dental colleges.  

“With the Governor’s approval, the Bills were sent to the Centre for obtaining the assent of the President,’’ he said and urged him to ensure that the Centre gives it approval and get the Presidential assent as soon as possible. Later in the day, the Union Minister inaugurated the Rotary South Asia Literacy Summit held at Chennai Trade Centre. Mission literacy. The event was dedicated to the former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. Speaking at the event, Javadekar said “He learned something new every day and taught what he learnt. He motivated everyone around him.” He urged to the youth to teach one literate-adult.  Rotary will implement the same all over India through the TEACH Program. 

As the fate of the state’s Bill exempting TN students from taking on NEET is unclear students are not taking any chances. Many of them have started enrolling themselves in various coaching centres to prepare for the national level test.  The President has not given his assent to the state Bill yet. But political parties and authorities are pushing their might to get the exemption. Notwithstanding all these, the coaching centres are mushrooming by the day across the state. Many centres providing exclusive coaching for IIT/JEE are now offering coaching for NEET too. An academy offering NEET coaching with multiple centres said that they saw a hike in admissions up to five times more this academic year. This is despite the prevailing confusion among Class 12 students writing their Board exams whether to prepare for it or not. “We are sure that NEET will become the norm,” said a coaching centre representative.