The Government of India amended the MCI Act and inserted section 10D. By this amendment, a
national level common examination is made compulsory for admission into undergraduate courses in
medicine viz. MBBS & BDS. Those States which did not wish were exempted from this exam for the
year 2016-17 alone. Government of Tamil Nadu, by virtue of this exemption, admitted students based
on the marks scored in the Higher Secondary Examination for the year 2016-17 for the seats in the
State Government medical & dental Colleges and the Government seats in the private self financing
colleges.
The then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu pleaded with the Centre to permanently exempt the State of
Tamil Nadu from NEET since the State follows a very transparent merit based admission for medical
colleges in the state. Since, the Central Government failed to respond, the Tamil Nadu State
Legislative Assembly, using the constitutional provisions, passed two bills to facilitate admission in
the State Government Colleges and sent the same for the Presidential assent as mandated in Article
254(2) of the Constitution of India. The Bill has to be placed before the President for approval after
securing no objection from various ministries of the Government of India. The Government of India is
sitting over the Bill without any action for more than a month. The silence of the Central Government
is very disturbing and it has caused great stress on the students and parents.
We oppose NEET on the following grounds:
· NEET is only a back door entry to implement some of the aspects mentioned in the NEP
which we have been opposing vehemently.
· It is presumed that only central government can give standard syllabus. State board
education and syllabus are treated as secondary.
· NEET does not promote, in any way, the education for all rather it filters and eliminates
the poor, underprivileged, rural students, ST, SCs etc. Urban and rural poor will be
completely eliminated through this competitive exam.
· The central government spends Rs. 72,000 per annum for a student studying in Navodhya
Schools whereas the TN state government spends only Rs. 22,000 per annum for a
student, studying in state board schools. So equitable access is absent between these two
kinds of students. But same entrance test is conducted for both. Hence, NEET is against
right to equality. Because of lack of equal access, how can state board student be tested
on the same platform with the Novodhya student? When there is no equal access, how
can we expect equal outcome? Unequals cannot be treated equally. So NEET is against Art.
14 of our constitution.
· NEET will facilitate the mushrooming of private coaching centres. This will once again
accelerate the commercialization of education. Only the rich and urban students will have
access to these private coaching centres. There is already an unhealthy nexus between
these centres and the exam conducting agencies.
· NEET is only a precursor for the other entrance tests that are to come. Entrance tests will
be soon made compulsory for any higher studies hereafter. It violates the federal structure
of our country. It is exclusionary and denies the plurality of our country. It will completely
eliminate all the reservations.
· What is the syllabus of NEET? It will be mainly CBSE syllabus. What about the state board?
Who will be the losers in this competition? There is a hidden assumption in this. CBSE
syllabus is better than the state syllabus. NEET will promote only CBSE syllabus and
schools. There is already a bias in this.
We need to create awareness about this among the students, teachers, parents and the general
public. We need to exert political pressure for the President’s assent of the TN bill, asking for
exemption from NEET for TN by mobilizing peoples’ power.
As a first step towards this, Tamil Nadu Educationists Forum (TNEF) is organizing one day conference
to oppose NEET at St. Joseph's College Campus, Trichy on 1st April. We earnestly request your
participation in the conference to be attended by former judge, scholars, doctors and MPs & MLAs
of various political parties. State ministers are also expected to participate. The conference will
deliberate on the various issues concerning NEET and give a clarion call for a struggle against
commercialisation and communalisation of education.
Your participation and the representation of your organisation in the conference
will strengthen the movement to defend our educational rights.

Kindly confirm your participation by 29.03.2017(Wednesday) through
i. Email: tneduforum@gmail.com or
ii. SMS / whatsapp to (any one number)
8667392323 - Simonraj, Headmaster, St. Joseph’s College HSS, Trichy
9095659130 - Chinnappan, President TN Hr.Sec.Headmasters Association, Trichy
9486948518 - Stephen L. Pragasam, Coordinator – SEC, Dindigul
9443357587 - John Kennedy, Director - JCERT, Palayamkottai
Registration Fee: Rs. 200 per participant (for lunch, refreshments, writing materials, etc.)

Organized by:
1. State Platform for Common School System – Tamil Nadu
2. Jesuit Secondary Education Commission
3. Tamil Nadu Higher Secondary Headmasters Association
4. Jesuit Council for Education Research and Training
5. St. Joseph’s College Higher Secondary School, Trichy
6. Kalvi Urimai Paathukappu Kootamaippu –Tamil Nadu
7. Jesuit Higher Education Commission
8. Tamil Nadu Science Forum
9. Bharathidasan University Teachers Association
10. Tamil Nadu Govt College Teachers Association
11. CRI Schools
12. Tamil Nadu PG Teachers Association
13. Tamil Nadu Higher Secondary PG Teachers
Association
14. RC Diocesan Schools
15. CSI Diocesan Schools
16. Muslim Minority Association
28/ Tamil Nadu High-Higher Secondary Graduate
Teachers Association!
29/ TNBRTEA!
19. All India Catholic University Federation – AICUF
20. Group for Equal Education – Palayamkottai
21. May 17th Movement
22. SDPI