Chennai doctors to stage protest against NEET

CHENNAI: Contesting the central government-mandated National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for undergraduate and postgraduate medical aspirants, the Doctors’ Forum for People’s Health will stage a protest in the city on November 20.

At a meeting convened on Friday, the group said NEET, which is set along the CBSE curriculum, makes it tough for state board students, mainly those from rural areas, to crack the exam and secure admission in a medical institution.
“The Tamil Nadu government has firmly been against NEET. It should take action and file a review petition against the Supreme Court order that brought in NEET,” said S Kasi, general secretary of the forum.

For the medical post graduate aspirants who also have to go through NEET, the forum demanded a higher quantum of seats for Tamil Nadu students. Citing that the state produced the highest number of medical aspirants, he told the media, “Only 15% of the PG medical seats in Tamil Nadu colleges should be given as part of the All India Quota.” At present 50% of PG seats are allocated for this.

They also contested the need for EXIT Exam for MBBS graduates, stating that it is unfair to students who have put in 5½ years of study and will demotivate those who aspire to practise in primary healthcare centres and other rural medical facilities.

SOURCE: Times of India