TN Health Minister meets Union Minister Pradhan, appeals to cancel NEET

Tamil Nadu Health minister Ma. Subramanian on Thursday met Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and has appealed to him to exclude Tamil Nadu from the upcoming NEET exam.

New Delhi:Tamil Nadu Health minister Ma. Subramanian on Thursday met Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and has appealed to him to exclude Tamil Nadu from the upcoming NEET exam. Ma. Subramanian in his appeal to Minister Pradhan said, that the State government's opinion is that the class 12 marks alone should be the basis for Higher Education admission.

He also said that NEET deprives opportunities for rural students as the majority study in their mother language (Tamil) and do not have resources and access to the coaching institutions. Also, the ongoing pandemic situation makes it a threat to students health and well being.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has informed the Tamil Nadu Health Minister that four more cities in Tamil Nadu - Chengalpet, Virudhunagar, Dindigul, and Tiruppur - have been added to the list of the places where NEET(UG) exams will be conducted for the convenience of students.

The ministers also added that the number of languages being offered this year for NEET (UG) exams has been increased with the addition of Malayalam and Punjabi. He also added that NEET exams are also being conducted in the Tamil language. The number of cities has also been increased to 18 from 14 last year. The number of examination centres will also be increased.

Most parties, including the ruling DMK and main opposition AIADMK, are on the same page on NEET and have been demanding that the test be scrapped, arguing that it went against social justice, rural and government school students.