Subramanian presses for NEET relief, vax, AIIMS in 2 TN cities

In the request letter handed over to Pradhan, Subramanian said, “We believe that conducting NEET deprives opportunities for rural students. Majority of them study in their mother tongue and do not have resources/ access to the coaching institutions,” he stated. “During the discussion, we explained about the Rajan committee report. The Union Minister assured to examine the demands,” Subramanian later told reporters. He urged the Central government to cancel all national level entrance exams like NEET, as it did with the CBSE board exams.

He also requested that the TN government be allowed to fill all professional seats including MBBS/BDS/ AYUSH courses on basis of Class 12 marks alone. Subramanian, who later called on Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, said he had demanded 12 crore doses of vaccine to cover about six crore beneficiaries in TN. The State had so far obtained about 1.70 crore vaccines. “The Union Minister has assured to fulfill the state’s requirement,” Subramanian said. During the meeting, he presented 13 demands to Mandaviya, including establishing a new AIIMS at Coimbatore besides expediting the Madurai AIIMS project.

Also, Mandabiya responded positively to the State’s request for drugs to treat Black Fungus and assured to release Rs 800 crore to help the state government to launch appropriate measures to prevent the third wave. A total of Rs 1,500 crore for the second wave would also be allotted. Regarding the Integrated Vaccine Complex in Chengalpattu, Subramanian added that the Health Ministry assured of announcing a decision soon.