Doctors’ Association for Social Equality (DASE) has flayed the statement of Union Minister Piyush Goyal on National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) exemption for the state of Tamil Nadu. He announced that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are firm on continuing with NEET for medical admission during an election campaign meeting. He also said that the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has demanded to conduct the exam in Tamil and the same has been accepted.
The AIADMK has promised to urge the Union government to exempt Tamil Nadu until the students acquire enough knowledge to clear NEET. But, no word of acceptance has come from any BJP leader so far. In the meanwhile, the BJP state President Tamilisai Soundararajan has criticised the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) for promising exemption of NEET when there is a Supreme Court order on the conduct of eligibility test for medical admissions. It seems that there is a conflict of interest between the BJP and AIADMK on the most important issue raised in the state.
The office bearers of the DASE met the press in Chennai and demanded the NDA partners in Tamil Nadu to come clear on their stand on NEET. Majority of the political parties had called for scrapping the entrance exam for medical admission to the students of the state. The parties belonging to the DMK-led Secular Democratic Alliance has promised exemption to the students of the state for medical admissions. The Congress party too is in favour of listing education as state subject. In its election manifesto, the party has promised to provide exemption to NEET as per the demand of the states.
Dr. G. R. Ravindranath, General Secretary of the Association, said in the press statement, "The students who studied in state syllabus and Tamil medium suffered the most due to NEET and the announcement of NDA minister has come as a jolt for medical aspirants.” It has to be noted that a dalit student Anitha had committed suicide since she was unable to clear the exam even though she scored high marks in the higher secondary exams. The forum has requested the general public to vote in favour of the Social Democratic Alliance which has promised to scrap NEET and protect the interests of the students of Tamil Nadu.
With the issue gaining foremost attention, it is set impact the prospects of BJP-AIADMK alliance in the coming Lok Sabha elections.
