CHENNAI: The information that has data obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) request has exposed the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)’s long-standing claims against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), particularly its alleged detrimental impact on rural and government school students in Tamil Nadu. The detailed information shows a marked improvement in the performance of government school students in NEET, challenging the narrative put forth by the DMK and its allies about the exam being anti-student and biased against disadvantaged sections
DMK’s Opposition to NEET: A Political Stand
Since NEET’s implementation, the DMK and its allies have launched vigorous campaigns to abolish the exam. Citing the pressure and mental distress faced by medical aspirants, the DMK also highlighted tragic instances of student suicides allegedly linked to the exam’s perceived difficulty. In June 2023, the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly adopted a resolution urging the Union government to scrap NEET and return to a state-based medical admissions system based on Class 12 marks. Chief Minister Stalin, while tabling the resolution, argued that NEET disproportionately affected rural students who lacked access to coaching centers and claimed it would further erode healthcare services in rural regions.
Despite this push, the resolution failed to receive approval from the Governor and was sent back for reconsideration. The state government re-adopted the resolution without addressing the Governor’s concerns, and it is now awaiting the President’s assent. In the meantime, the DMK launched a state-wide anti-NEET signature campaign, led by its youth, student, and medical wings. The campaign was portrayed as a people’s movement, but it failed to garner the widespread support the party had hoped for, with reports alleging coercion of schools into signing memorandums against the exam.
NEET Success Undermines DMK’s Claims
Contrary to the DMK’s narrative, recent data obtained from the Health and Family Welfare Department, revealed through an RTI query, shows that government school students have performed better in NEET, challenging the party’s argument that the exam is anti-poor or biased against rural students. The statistics indicate that more students, especially from government schools, have successfully cleared the exam and gained admission to medical colleges without relying on the 7.5% reservation quota earmarked for them.
In the NEET-UG 2024 results announced earlier this year, a record number of 67 students nationwide achieved the All India Rank 1, with eight of them hailing from Tamil Nadu. This makes Tamil Nadu the second-highest state in terms of top rankers, only behind Rajasthan. These results occurred even before recalculations mandated by protests and a Supreme Court directive. The RTI findings go even further, painting a picture of growing success among government school students in the medical entrance exam.
இந்த வருட நீட் தேர்வில் அரசு பள்ளி மாணவர்கள் மிகப்பெரிய சாதனை புரிந்துள்ளனர்.
🔆 7.5% உள் ஒதுக்கீட்டை பயன்படுத்தாமல் மருத்துவ கல்லூரியில் சேர்ந்த மாணவர்களின் எண்ணிக்கை : 78.
🔆நீட் தேர்வு வருவதற்கு முன்பு 2017ம் ஆண்டு வெறும் 34 அரசு பள்ளி மாணவர்கள்தான் மருத்துவ கல்லூரிகளில்… pic.twitter.com/NcJ9Q5zdkQ
— Selva Kumar (@Selvakumar_IN) October 1, 2024
The RTI data shows that a total of 78 government school students secured medical admissions without utilizing the 7.5 per cent internal quota, which amounts to 7.5 per cent of the total admissions. This is a marked improvement compared to 2017 when only 34 government school students were able to secure seats prior to the introduction of NEET. In total, including those who benefited from the 7.5 per cent reservation, 683 government school students were admitted to medical colleges this year.
Additionally, 3,248 students, representing 49% of the total admissions under the state government quota, gained entry into medical colleges without attending NEET coaching classes. This contradicts the DMK’s claim that private coaching is a prerequisite for success in NEET, particularly for rural students. The data shows that despite financial and logistical barriers, a significant number of students have excelled in the exam without the aid of costly coaching centers.
NEET Coaching vs. Non-Coaching Success
The RTI petition also highlighted the overall distribution of students who attended coaching classes versus those who did not. Of the total 8,316 medical seats available under the state medical quota (including government and self-financed institutions), 3,305 students attended NEET coaching, while 3,248 students did not. Despite the DMK’s assertions that coaching is necessary for success, nearly half of the students who gained admission did so without attending such classes, further discrediting the party’s stance.
Applications for medical seats also reflected a higher number of candidates who opted out of coaching. A total of 17,822 students applied for seats without attending coaching, compared to 11,008 students who applied with coaching experience. This data clearly shows that rural and government school students are not at a disadvantage, as claimed by the DMK, and are in fact successfully competing with their counterparts from wealthier backgrounds.
