Tamil Nadu CM Stalin writes to PM Modi; seeks cancellation of NEET & other entrance exams

Days after the Centre cancelled CBSE Class 12 board exams, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking suspension of all national level entrance exams including the medical entrance exam - NEET 2021. While the National Testing Agency (NTA), responsible for conducting national level entrance exams for higher studies, is yet to announce the date for JEE Main 2021 and NEET 2021, the medical entrance exam is most likely to be conducted on August 1 this year. 

Citing the prevalent COVID-19 situation across the country and the subsequent decision to cancel class 12 board exams, CM Stalin has sought the same fate for all entrance exams. In his letter, the DMK chief also cited his state government's decision of not holding class 12 and class 10 exams, apprising the Prime Minister that a committee is being constituted to decide on the evaluation and compilation of the marks of Class XII students. 

Stalin seeks cancellation of all entrance exams

"While it has always been the consistent and considered view of my Government that the Class XII marks alone should be the basis for higher educational opportunities, we have also decided not to conduct the Class XII State Board examinations this year, considering the prevailing COVID-19 situation. A committee is being constituted to decide on the evaluation and compilation of the marks of Class XII students," Stalin wrote. 

The letter also comes on a day when the Tamil Nadu government has formed a high-level committee to submit a report on the impact of the NEET examination on medical admissions in the state. The committee, headed by retired judge AK Ranjan, is set to study how many students, specifically those who studied in government schools and those from economically weaker backgrounds, have lost medical seats due to NEET in Tamil Nadu. Pertinently, the southern state has always had apprehensions against the medical entrance exam with the incumbent DMK also promising to do away with the exam once voted to power. 

Seeking Tamil Nadu be allowed to fill all professional seats including M.B.B.S seats on the basis of Class XII marks alone, Stalin urged, "Given these circumstances, I am of the strong view that conducting national level entrance examinations for any professional course would be immensely detrimental to the health and well-being of students. I therefore urge you to cancel the conduct of all national level entrance examinations like NEET, as the same reasons adduced for cancelling the Class XII Board Examinations are equally applicable to entrance examinations as well. Our state may be allowed to fill all professional seats including M.B.B.S seats, on the basis of Class XII marks alone, as we have always emphasized" 

The letter also comes on a day when the Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) to issue advisories asking medical students to produce a negative RTPCR COVID-19 report along with their hall ticket at the examination centre on June 10. The High Court refused to stay MUHS' offline Examination for undergraduate students. The PIL had sought online examinations or vaccinations for nearly 40,000 students before giving the semester exams spread across 20 days and 173 centres. 

CBSE cancels exams, forms committee to evaluate results 

The  Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Friday constituted a committee to decide well-defined objective criteria for the evaluation of the students. The committee has been directed to submit its reports within 10 days. Hours after the high-profile meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday evening, the CBSE, as well as the ISC class 12 board exams, were cancelled. Both the educational boards held that the students will not be required to appear for physical exams, and will be marked on objective criteria, the details of which will be released at a later date. The boards also maintained that if any student is dissatisfied with the criteria or the marks obtained, they will be given a chance to appear for physical exams on a later date, when the COVID-19 situation improves and the environment seems conducive for conductive physical exams.