Tamil Nadu is not against NEET, but only opposing lack of transparency: Speaker M.Appavu
On November 24, 2024, M. Appavu put his party position in the context of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test at an awareness rally at Egmore, during the seventh day celebrations of National Naturopathy Day. M. Appavu stated that NEET, a common examination for seeking admission in medical colleges throughout India, was of significance to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s aim.
His statement repeated further that while the DMK government was not fundamentally opposed to NEET, there were genuine apprehensions from the party concerning the way the examination was being conducted and its overall ramifications on the student populace of Tamil Language.
Emphasizes Lack of Clarity and Fairness in NEET implementation
Mr. Appavu’s main contention was that the DMK was not against NEET as a concept, instead there were concerns as to how it was being enforced. His emphasis was on the lack of clarity surrounding regulatory provisions governing the conduct of the test and how it circumscribed the right to education of the TN students.
The Speaker explained that the issue was defined by the national nature of the context and the nature and the policy made by a privately-owned institution known as NTA in ‘conducting’ the exam. NTA which conducts NEET has been a sore point for the Tamilnadu government which feels that the examination is neither fair nor transparent for students of any other state or even of Tamilnadu.
Criticizes NEET for Worsening Regional Disparities in Tamil Nadu’s Education System
Appavu’s comments are indicative of the stand taken by the DMK against the debatable subject of NEET, which seems to have been the bane of Tamil Nadu politics. The DMK government has been changing the narrative to totally do away with the provision of conducting NEET in Tamil Nadu(TN) as it is detrimental to rural and backward students and also impacts the very essence of education in the state. In the view of Appavu, it is possible for NEET to be useful but at present, the manner in which it is held is fraught with issues regarding fairness, accessibility and equity.
Appavu’s address also focused on yet another pertinent issue, that is, the impact NEET has had on the education system of TN, which is often rated a significant region in India. Historically, the education system provided in the state has operated on the principle of parity, such that every student equally got all the chances regardless of their location.
There has been a substantial population of TN students who have been doing particularly well in academics and competitive entrance exams, especially within the medical sector. Nevertheless, according to the DMK, an aberration has occurred due to NEET, as it disregards the fact that there are disparities in educational standards within different regions of the country.
Slams NEET for Favoring Urban Centers, ignoring Regional Educational Needs
Appavu voiced major discontent with what he called the “metropolitanisation” of education in India which means that urban areas, especially big cities like Delhi and Mumbai, are overdeveloped in terms of educational facilities, coaching centers, and any other training. This development has left many students in rural states like TN at a disadvantage. To the DMK, this problem is made worse by the conduction of NEET exams at a central level which works against students who come from smaller towns and villages in Tamil Nadu.
The Tamil Nadu government, especially the DMK has stated criticism of NEET particularly on its having been implemented without regional consultative processes and agreement. The argument is based on the facts that NEET is a scheme under DMK centralized government that does not theoritically take into consideration the nature and circumstance of most states, Tamil Nadu, which has a strong educational standpoint being a case in point.
This question of self-governing regions in this instance over education has particularly turned out to be a big bone of contention.
Criticizes NEET for Disrupting Tamil Nadu’s Education System and Disadvantaging Rural Students
Appavu noted that the introduction of NEET was done rather unilaterally with little input from the states or attention to the distinct characteristics of the education system of different regions of India. Appavu termed the practice of centrally conducting an examination without soliciting regional feedback as a ‘sledgehammer’ approach, which is quite inappropriate given the country’s multicultural reality.
Tamil Nadu’s stand is not because of the only problems of corruption in the implementation of NEET but also because of its non-pertinence to the region. NEET had delivered damage where it was unneeded, according to DMK because it did not adjust to the so called ‘well’ states such as TN which over the years have demonstrated its leadership in education forms.
To further dharnalize the DMK position, Appavu flagged how the system of NEET has disrupted the students of TN. For a large number of students in TN, mainly from the rural region, the long-standing practice of providing seats based on the merit of state medical entrance exam was more convenient.
The DMK standpoint is that the NEET examination policy is applied unjustly and disadvantageously to students particularly of Tamil. It’s a fact that NEET has mostly been house coached and prepared for metropolitan centers, Appavu explained. This means Tamilians are now tussling against students who have better resources and proper guidance.
Warns NEET aggravates Rural-Urban Divide, Hurting Tamil Nadu’s Students
This lack of resources seems to be the most worrying factor for students of TN who mostly come from rural areas and rely on public education due to their limited access to private coaching. The DMK’s concern is not only about failing to qualify NEET as an exam, but also other systems worth avoiding designed to consolidate elite privileges. Appavu’s talk served as a warning as NEET as observed by urbanites is not the same for majority of the academic masses of rural Tamil Nadu.
