NEET: After Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra to review MBBS entrance test

Speaking to ANI, Maharashtra's Minister for Medical Education, Amit Deshmukh said, "The scrapping of NEET by Tamil Nadu government has given rise to new discussions if the common medical entrance test is right for states or not and what will be better for students' future."

NEET was introduced in India as a centralized test for admitting medical students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. However, since its inception, Tamil Nadu has been protesting against the same as after the test was introduced more than a dozen students of underprivileged social background had committed suicide. These students belonging to remote areas were unable to access the necessary resources for clearing the entrance examination.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the State had formed a high-level panel to study the impact of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test, NEET on aspirants in Tamil Nadu, especially those belonging to the rural areas, and socially disadvantaged sections.

It was decided that the eight-member committee led by a retired judge of Madras High Court, A K Rajan would study the impact of the screening test required for medical admissions on the students and submit its recommendations within a month.

After detailed investigations, the findings of the Committee proved that NEET is biased, not based on common core standards, does not measure the chronologically developed academic abilities by the students, could not predict the success of students in their higher studies (MBBS), promotes coaching as opposed to learning, and is vulnerable to charges of cultural, regional, linguistic and socio-economic biases.

Moreover, earlier this month, the Tamil Nadu assembly passed a bill seeking a permanent exemption to the state from NEET.

Noting the topics raised by the panel and with the government passing the bill scrapping the exam, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday said that it will review the medical entrance exam and see whether it is good for students.

Minister Deshmukh also informed that they will present the stand of the Maharashtra government regarding by same by correctly analyzing the pros and cons of the concerned exam.

Furthermore, the President of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee has written a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray asking him to scrap NEET for the state-based students as well. Patole in his letter said that like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra too should consider offering admissions to medical colleges based on class 12 scores. He highlighted lapses in the recently conducted NEET and said that it would be 'injustice' for students to consider their NEET score as the medical entrance is skewed towards those from central bards like CBSE, CISCE.

"It is not just a case of injustice but also of inequality. NEET is curbing the opportunities for students of state boards, many of whom are from economically weaker sections," the Congress leader said, quotes PTI.