NEET Results Favour English Medium, Urban & CBSE Students: Tamil Nadu Panel

Tamil Nadu government had decided to scrap the NEET and allow admission to medical colleges based on candidates' performance in the Class 12 board examination in order to “ensure social justice”.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin. (Image: AFP)

NEET Exam 2021 Results: A Tamil Nadu government-appointed committee has shed some important light on the impact of introducing the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in 2017-18.

According to the data masticated by the TN panel, the admission of the candidates belonging to the rural areas, economically weaker sections, Tamil-medium schools, and state board affiliated schools in the state’s medical colleges has decreased significantly.

On the basis of the findings, the Tamil Nadu government had decided to scrap the NEET and allow admission to medical colleges based on candidates' performance in the Class 12 board examination in order to “ensure social justice”.

As per the Indian Express report, the 9 members Tamil Nadu government-appointed committee found that the number of rural students taking admission to medical courses decreased from an average of 61.45% (pre-NEET) to 50.81% (post-NEET). The most affected group of students are those from government schools.

"On average, government school students made up 1.12% of the first-year MBBS batch in Tamil Nadu pre-NEET. The figure dropped to 0.16% post-NEET (unreserved seats). Last year, the state government introduced a 7.5% horizontal reservation for state-run school students," reads the report.

The report also shed a light on the increase in the English medium school students taking admission in medical colleges from 85.12% to 98.01% since the NEET entrance exam is introduced. While the proportion of Tamil-medium school students fell down from 14.88% to 1.99%.

The panel also found that the number of students with an annual family income of less than Rs 2.5 lakh has decreased from 47.42% in 2016-17 to 41.05% in 2020-21, while those with an annual family income above Rs 2.5 lakh has sprouted from 52.11% to 58.95%.

Earlier on Monday, the Tamil Nadu government passed a Bill in Tamil Nadu Assembly seeking permanent exemption from the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) to Tamil Nadu students in admissions to undergraduate medical courses.