Context:

Suicides related to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the controversy around medical seats in Tamil Nadu being put outside the purview of NEET for admission to undergraduate medical courses are unfortunate and raise serious concerns.

Concerns Raised by the state government against NEET:

• Mandatory Implementation: Tamil Nadu has opposed the NEET since it was made compulsory in 2017. 
• Favouring CBSE Students: The test favored central board students, as it was administered by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

Highlights from Justice A.K. Rajan committee Report:

• Mandate of the Committee: To examine NEET’s impact on medical admissions in Tamil Nadu.
• Need for Inclusivity and Diversity: The report called for greater inclusivity and diversity within the medical student base.
• Rote Learning Framework: The report rejected the NEET as it relied on a “rote framework” derived from just three subjects (biology, chemistry, and physics) and lacked uniform standards and criteria.
• Incomprehensive Test Format: It criticized the test’s content-oriented multiple-choice format, deeming it an inadequate alternative to the more comprehensive school-based or board exams. 
• Proliferation of Coaching Culture: The NEET was alleged to favor students from CBSE backgrounds who received coaching, attended private English-medium schools, and hailed from affluent urban environments. 
• Enhancing Biases: It accused the test of reinforcing biases related to culture, region, language, and socio-economic status that disproportionately affected underprivileged groups. 
• Removal of NEET: Using various statistical data to underscore disparities between Tamil and English-medium students, the report advocated for state legislation to eliminate the NEET requirement.

Concerns against Anti NEET Bill:

• Vested Political Interests: The opposition to the NEET and the associated protests raise broader concerns regarding the role of education and the influence of narrow political interests in shaping societal dynamics. 
• Discriminatory Reservation Policy: Implementing an anti-NEET bill would mean that 85% of seats would be filled based on Class XII scores rather than a standardized entrance test. 
• Biases and presumptions against various social groups: Many deserving students from upper-caste groups in Tamil Nadu have been compelled to seek education elsewhere due to its reservation quota (69%).
• Deepening of Inequalities: Enforcing the bill could worsen existing disparities, as it proposes a requirement to reserve 7.5% of all seats for students who have studied in government schools from grades six to twelve.

Conclusion:

• Focus on equity: Education, particularly in the realm of medical studies, should be built upon the foundation of equity, rather than a mere pursuit of equality. 
• Avoiding exploitation of student sentiments: Political parties should refrain from exploiting student suicides to manipulate policy decisions. 

News Source: Live Mint

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