NEET: CBSE students fret over 85 per cent quota for state board candidates

“I made my child switch to CBSE board in class eight hoping that the syllabus will help her better prepared for entrance exams. When NEET (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test) was implemented, I was happy about my decision I made as I expected it’d work in her favour. 

When the results were out, her all-India rank was in 2000s and I was hoping that she will get good seats but with only 15% left for the CBSE students, I am not sure,” lamented, G. Chandrasekaran, a bank employee. 

Students blame politics for the NEET muddle. “First, we were not sure if there will be an examination or not. The protestors said that the examination was unfair to state board students, which might be true. 

However 15% is too less for the CBSE school students. I am a Chennai boy and I will have to compete with applicants from other states,” says S. Raghu, another medical aspirant. The Minister had reasoned that the move was to protect the interests of 4.2 lakh students from Tamil Nadu. Some are even worried that they will have to settle for colleges outside the state. 

“I have lived in Tamil Nadu all my life and I may not get admission to the college of my choice in Tamil Nadu. If I get admission elsewhere, I will have to spend extra on travelling,” says Manoj Kumar, a student from Coimbatore. The NEET is conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education for admission to MBBS/BDS Courses in the country.