Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has made a strong appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to ensure that the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is kept out of admissions for Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) and Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (BOT) programs. In a detailed letter sent on Saturday, the Chief Minister contended that the current mandate is devoid of logical reasoning and should be immediately reviewed.
Questioning the Academic Rationale
Stalin emphasized that globally, academic eligibility for professional courses is typically defined by either passing an examination or securing a high score in it. However, the new requirement by the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) merely mandates appearance in NEET as a qualification for BPT and BOT admissions starting this academic year.
"Prescribing mere appearance in NEET as a qualification was devoid of logic," Stalin stated in his communication. He argued that this approach lacks academic rationale and appears designed solely to normalize and expand NEET's influence across society.
Impact on Students from Economically Weaker Backgrounds
The Chief Minister highlighted that this move would force millions of students across the country to avail expensive coaching services, thereby profiting NEET coaching centers at the expense of poor families. He pointed out that students aspiring for Allied and Health Care Courses (AHCs) in Tamil Nadu come from much poorer socio-economic backgrounds compared to MBBS aspirants.
"The number of AHCs seats in Tamil Nadu was over 50,000, and lakhs of students who aspired for admission in the courses were from much poorer socio-economic backgrounds compared to MBBS aspirants," Stalin explained. "Hence, forcing these poor families to spend on NEET coaching would be a gross injustice."
Historical Context and State Jurisdiction
Traditionally, admissions to BPT and BOT programs in Tamil Nadu were based on Plus Two marks or college-specific tests conducted within the state. The Chief Minister asserted that states, which are constitutionally in charge of both health and education sectors, were not consulted about this significant policy change.
"This is totally unacceptable to us," Stalin declared, emphasizing that admission modalities for allied health courses should remain within the jurisdiction of state governments.
Dilution of NEET's Quality Argument
In his letter, Stalin further contended that even the NEET score as a qualification for MBBS admissions has been progressively diluted through extremely low cut-offs, sometimes amounting to almost zero. This development, he argued, makes the "quality argument" for NEET totally irrelevant in the current context.
The Chief Minister's appeal comes at a crucial time when the standardization of entry into allied health courses has become a national debate. He urged for immediate intervention from the Prime Minister to review this mandate and instruct NCAHP to drop this requirement.
"Considering the urgency of this issue, I look forward to your personal intervention," Stalin concluded in his letter, marking a significant development in the ongoing discussion about medical education reforms in India.
