ACTOR VIJAY CALLS FOR BAN ON NEET EXAM, CLAIMS BIAS AGAINST RURAL STUDENTS
Tamil actor-politician Vijay on Wednesday called for the scrapping of the NEET examination for admission to medical courses amid a row over alleged irregularities in conducting the testand paper leaks in certain states.
He argued that the examination, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), violated states' rights and discriminated against students from rural and underprivileged backgrounds.
"Students from rural and underprivileged backgrounds in Tamil Nadu are severely affected by NEET. They study in the state's language and syllabus but are compelled to take the exam based on the NCERT syllabus. How is this fair?" the actor questioned.
Vijay also criticised the centralisation of education and examinations while speaking at an event honouring top achievers in the Class 10 and 12 public exams.
"I believe that a one-nation, one-curriculum, and one-exam policy contradicts the essence of education. The curriculum should be tailored to each state's needs. Diversity is our strength, not a weakness," the actor remarked.
Vijay, who is the head of the political outfit Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, said the recent irregularities had eroded trust in the NEET exam.
"People have lost faith in this exam. Recent reports have highlighted its unnecessary nature. The immediate solution is to ban NEET," Vijay emphasised.
He further proposed that a lasting solution could be achieved by transferring education back to the State List from the Concurrent List.
"To address this issue permanently, education should return to the State List. As an interim measure, the Constitution could be amended to create a special Concurrent List, including subjects like education and health," he suggested.
Vijay also endorsed the recent resolution passed by Tamil Nadu's MK Stalin-led government to abolish the NEET examination.
"I wholeheartedly support Tamil Nadu's decision to ban NEET. I urge the central government to act promptly and respect the sentiments of the Tamil people," he added.
In June, controversy arose when several NEET candidates achieved perfect scores, many from the same centres.
Subsequent investigations revealed irregularities in the allocation of grace marks and pre-examination leaks of question papers. Opposition parties and student unions have criticised the Central government, demanding the scrapping of NEET-UG. The CBI is currently investigating these irregularities.
2024-07-03T10:39:59Z dg43tfdfdgfd