Panel on NEET holds 1st meet, seeks data from govt

Talking to reporters after chairing the committee’s first meeting, Justice Rajan said, “We had a general discussion on how to proceed on the subject. Important data on who are affected and how Tamil medium students and state board students are affected is required.” 

“We need data to analyse. We cannot merely make statements. We need solid data. We have asked (the state) to collect the data. We will analyse it and prepare a report based on the same,” he added. Asked if all members of the committee were in agreement on the issue of impact (adverse) of NEET, the retired judge said, “Everyone’s view is that NEET has impacted the students. No one can say that there is no impact. That is why a committee has been constituted by the government. Extent of impact will be studied.” On the time required to prepare the report, he said, “Govt has given us one month to table the report. We will try our best to give the report within the time.” 

Denying that the committee has no intention to meet or elicit the views of students, Rajan refused to comment on the confusion among students for NEET preparation. “We will only do the job given to us,” he said, adding that the committee would meet again at 3 pm next Monday. On apprising the CM during each meeting, the committee chairman said, “We will not. We will study if there is any or no impact. If there is, the extent of the impact would be studied and presented in the report.” 

The reticent retired judge evaded a query on scrapping of NEET and said, “We cannot comment if NEET would be scrapped. We will present the report in such a way that everyone understands. We have just begun. We will try to do our best. “