Tamil Nadu students feel cheated after Supreme Court order on NEET

State health secretary J Radhakrishnan said that the merit list would be released based on NEET on Wednesday and the counselling would begin from Thursday for differently abled candidates. 

Students, who had their hopes up, feel cheated. “What was our mistake in this political tug of war,” queried a teary-eyed Hema. Though a school topper, she couldn’t clear the entrance exam. “We were made to believe by the politicians that NEET would not be implemented and we didn’t dedicate enough time for the preparations. We took the test and even after that were asked to be hopeful and in the last minute, we were told that NEET was not exempted. I have to wait for a year to write the test in 2018. Many like me feel betrayed,’ she added. 

Activists call it an unfair decision. “It is the most unfair decision taken by the Supreme Court. One major sect of the students from the state will be affected by it,” said Prince Gajendra Babu, general secretary, State Platform for Common School Systems. He added, “Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had given hope to many students who were waiting to get admissions based on their Class 12 marks. Many, who have no expectations of making into a medical college, started looking forward to the Supreme Court order and all their hopes are dashed. Now, the decision has been made, but we will continue with our struggle in getting complete exemption for state students.” 

GR Ravindranath, general secretary of Doctors’ Association for Social Equality said, “What happened is very unfortunate and highly condemnable. The state was given the assurance that they would get the Centre’s support. But, now the Centre and the Supreme Court betrayed the state. The state government was waiting for the Apex Court to pass its judgment and then implement NEET in Tamil Nadu. The Central government can promulgate an Ordinance to exempt the state by bringing an amendment in the Medical Council of India Act and Dental Council of India Act. Through an amendment in these Acts only the NEET is being implemented across the country. In the same way, the Union government can bring an Ordinance to amend the Acts so that we can immediately exempt the state from NEET.”

Opposition parties led by DMK have announced a massive demonstration in the city on Thursday, against the Centre and state for letting down students on NEET issue. In a joint statement issued by leaders of DMK, Congress, CPI, CPI (M), VCK, IUML and MMK parties, they have accused the BJP at the Centre and ruling AIADMK of jointly conspiring and spoiling the dreams of poor and rural MBBS aspirants in the state. 

Accusing a “dictatorial BJP regime” at the Centre of not sending TN Assembly’s NEET Bill for President’s approval and thrusting NEET on Tamil Nadu, the statement said the BJP regime has made a mockery of federalism and Centre-State relationship. 

Remarking that the administrative failure of the ruling AIADMK has been exposed on the issue, the leaders said the BJP and AIADMK were equally responsible for spoiling the future of state board students and threatening reservation and social justice principles in the state.