The times of India newspaper (22 october 2021) carried this news item: "NEET has made medical education unaffordable, inaccessible to many". This news item was published in the wake of Tamil Nadu passing a bill exempting it's students from NEET. some revealing insights:
- 95% NEET -qualified students have been trained at coaching centres. What happens to those students from vernacular medium schools aspiring to follow their dreams in medicine. Oh. Yes. English is must, Right?
- Who dominates? English medium students and CBSE students. If a student studied under state board need not aspire for greater things. Fend for yourself. Coaching centres thrive on high coaching fees. Coaching centres are byproduct of NEET.
- I have seen doctors from poor rural backgrounds who moved ahead against all odds. They are better at treating their patients. There is humanity in them. I also have seen who have minimal contact with patients bent only on taking commission for the tests or medicines they prescribe.
- There is hope. There needs to be much change. However, there are powerful players behind the NEET. Make it accessible and affordable without risking proper learning of medical students.
One of the myths surrounding NEET that the author busts is "NEET undermines social justice". It guarantees equal opportunities for all. What needs to be addressed is the quality education delivered by government schools. Delhi seems to have gone after this issue of guarantying quality education in government schools. The author states, "the true remedy lies in improving the quality of education in government schools". If the state governments do not invest in education, definitely the aspirations of many poor rural students will be heavily affected. Who sees the poor when money, power and political interests are real temptations?
