The NEET conundrum and Tamil Nadu’s steadfast opposition

Source: This post is based on the article “The NEET conundrum and Tamil Nadu’s steadfast opposition” published in The Hindu on 21st July 2022.

What is the News?

The Tamil Nadu government has opposed NEET-based admission to undergraduate and postgraduate medical courses from the beginning. Though it got exceptions earlier, in 2017 the Supreme Court refused to grant further exemption to the State. The legal fight against NEET continues to this day.

Why and how was NEET introduced?

The Medical Council of India (MCI) had mooted the NEET in 2009 with a stated objective of ensuring inter-se merit in medical admissions and avoiding multiple entrance tests conducted by different agencies, governments and deemed universities.

In 2013, the Supreme Court struck down the NEET as unconstitutional and ruled that the MCI had no powers to issue notifications to regulate admissions in medical/dental colleges.

Three years later, the court recalled its 2013 judgment and eventually mandated the conduct of NEET. Following this, the Government promulgated an ordinance in 2016.

What was the initial response of states to the NEET exam?

Gujarat: It was “torture” to impose NEET on students who had already mentally prepared for the State entrance exams.

Tamil Nadu: State does not have a legacy of entrance exams since 2007.

Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana: They invoked special provisions in the Constitution to contend that only the State and not the Centre had the legislative competence to conduct examinations for MBBS and BDS courses.

What are the challenges associated with the NEET Exam?

a) Overshadows students’ efforts in their higher secondary education, b) Spawn multi-billion dollar coaching centres, c) Prevent mastering the subjects at the higher secondary level, especially it compromises the learning of non-core subjects, d) There are many instances of impersonation is being reported, and e) Did not prevent students with poor NEET scores paying hefty sums as fees to get admission to deemed universities and private colleges.

What were the AK Rajan committee findings?

What is the status of Tamil Nadu bills and NEET?

The President refused to assent to the two Bills adopted by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly unanimously in 2017 seeking exemption from NEET-based admissions for undergraduate and postgraduate degree medical courses.

In 2021, a fresh Bill to admit students for MBBS/BDS courses only on the basis of their class XII board examination scores was adopted by the Legislative Assembly. The Bill is at present with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for Presidential assent.