Just a couple of days ago actor Suriya spoke and released a statement about how NEET continues to affect government school students and how no student associated with his NGO, Agaram had managed a seat since its implementation. Today, news reports say that not a single government school student coached by the State managed to get a NEET seat this year.
Ever since NEET was proposed as an entrance test, activists and medicos in the city have repeatedly said that the only ones who would be able to crack the exam are those attempting it for the second or third time. In his statement, Suriya had also mentioned that a majority of students who get a seat are second or third-time writers.
This year, 19,355 students had been coached at the state-sponsored NEET training centres. According to the Times of India, only three students from government schools and four from government-aided schools got MBBS seats last year. "Due to repeat test-takers, the cut off soared above 100 marks in all categories. Hence, our students, despite scoring above 400 marks could not get MBBS seats. The future doesn't seem bright either," an official told Times of India.
Even taking a gap-year for students from government schools is not a feasible option as most students come from economically and socially weak backgrounds. Even if they did take a gap year, students are unable to pay exorbitant amounts of money to get the kind of training they need. Activist, Prince Gajendra Babu has mentioned on several occasions that coaching centres are a 5000 crores industry, something even Suriya mentioned in his speech. "This is only going to benefit coaching centres," Babu had once said in an interview with Edex.
Now with state-run training centres failing to provide the requisite training, government school students will continue to bear the brunt of the NEET exams. "Are we ensuring that only the rich are able to get the education they need? Then what will happen to those who cannot afford it," Suriya had questioned.
With the syllabus change now, authorities are claiming next year might be different. However, the opposition party members held a protest outside the parliament seeking an exemption. A few months ago, when the results were announced three students in the state committed suicide after failing to clear the test.
