“Nation Doesn’t Need NEET”: Actor-Politician Vijay

Actor-politician Vijay, while speaking at an event in Chennai, said the people of the country have lost faith in the national level medical entrance examination NEET and the “nation does not need NEET”.

The Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief, also requested the central government to respect the emotions of the people and demanded to bring education under the State List of Indian Constitution, instead of the Concurrent List.

National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test or NEET has been a contentious issue in Tamil Nadu since its inception in 2013. The state had witnessed many protests against the entrance exam that is currently being by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for the admission of over one lakh undergraduate MBBS seats in the government and private medical colleges across India.

“People have lost faith in the NEET examination. The nation doesn’t need NEET. Exemption from NEET is the only solution. I wholeheartedly welcome the resolution against NEET which was passed in the State Assembly. I request the Union Government to respect the emotions of the people of Tamil Nadu people. Education should be brought under the State List from Concurrent list,” news agency ANI quoted the actor as saying from the event.

NEET has been a sensitive issue in Tamil Nadu ever since the suicide of Anitha, a medical aspirant in 2017, who scored 98% in her 12th state board examination, yet failed in NEET. Following this, many medical aspirants have died allegedly by suicide over the past few years, either over failing the exam or fears of being unable to crack it. This led to a major protest in Tamil Nadu against NEET. This issue led to opposition to the NEET examination by various political parties in the state. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin also has been rivaling against NEET, urging the Centre to exempt the state from the exam.