Norway Tamils write to abolish NEET

Expressing concern, the letter addressed to the Indian diplomatic mission observed that single entrance method of entrance had proved to be disastrous world over and it favoured money-minting coaching centres. 

It impressed upon the Centre to provide permanent exemption from NEET or any other national eligibility tests for Tamil Nadu as such impositions go against the social justice, which is prevailing in the State. It further said NEET imposition would reverse all the social justice process which TN has achieved since independence. 

The letter likened the NEET imposition to indirect Hindi imposition and Centre’s move to hijack State’s autonomy in education as NEET favours CBSE students who comprise less than 4% of total students in State. 

“NEET is against the idea of India which is multicultural, multilinguistic and multi-ethnic and is a way of cultural imperialism,” it charged. The memorandum urged the Centre to move education to the State list from the Concurrent list and allocate more funds to State governments for education. 

“The Centre has more serious areas of focus such as national security and external affairs and leave all other areas for States to handle,” the petition demanded. 

“TN has been the pioneer in healthcare and has the best primary health centers (PHCs). It has best infrastructure for medical education and has produced some of the best doctors/ surgeons in the world. We have achieved all of these by following socially inclusive education policies which have given the best opportunities for the poor and deprived classes to achieve their educational aspirations. TN’s medical colleges have been funded on its own and they have been run very efficiently. The service minded doctors graduating from these colleges from humble beginnings serve our villages and rural areas across TN,” it said.