Is the state board syllabus not at par with CBSE?

In 2018, Tamil Nadu updated the state syllabus textbooks. An analysis of the NEET question paper showed that 97 percent of the questions in NEET-2020 were covered in the updated TN textbooks. Experts told The Quint that the problem lies in assessment and not the syllabus. They said the state board students are not trained to crack objective questions with negative marking. In state schools students are mostly tested for memory recall.

How important are coaching classes to crack NEET?

According to the Tamil Nadu government’s data, submitted to the Madras High Court in 2019, only 2.1 percent of students who got admission in medical colleges had not taken coaching classes. Out of this, only 1.5 percent entered into government medical colleges. Private coaching institutes charge anywhere between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 5 lakh for a year of NEET coaching. Tamil Nadu began offering free coaching to government and government-aided school students to prepare for NEET. In the academic year 2020-'21, more than 25,000 students had enrolled for this. Justice AK Rajan panel, that was constituted to study the impact of NEET on students, has noted that the turnover of all private coaching centres in Tamil Nadu shows that private coaching has become a "big business".

How can an all-India entrance exam affect Tamil Nadu alone?

It is important to understand that Tamil Nadu has one of the lowest school dropout rates and further enrols 44.3 percent of those who finish high school into higher educational institutes. That’s the highest Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education among all states in India. It is twice the national average and about ten percentage points more than the global average. Tamil Nadu’s decision to not admit students through entrance exams is a conscious policy choice, as the state aims to introduce maximum students into higher education. Politicians have argued that the exam could discourage many students from pursuing their dreams and, in turn, increase school dropout rate.

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Tamil Nadu's Fight Against NEET Explained: Assembly to Pass Fresh Exemption Bill

Governor RN Ravi had on 1 February returned the bill to the Speaker for reconsideration.

Smitha TK

Updated: 05 Feb 2022, 1:37 PM IST

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(This story was first published on 13 September 2021. It has been republished from The Quint’s archives as the Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin announced that the House will clear the NEET Exemption Bill in the state Assembly and send it to Governor RN Ravi again.)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin chaired an all-party meeting of the Legislative Assembly on Saturday, 5 February, and decided that the House will pass another Bill seeking exemption for Tamil Nadu from NEET and send it again to TN Governor RN Ravi to forward it to the Centre for the President’s assent.

Published: 13 Sep 2021, 7:09 PM IST