CHENNAI: Principals of deemed universities and private colleges unanimously appreciate the introduction of NEET as they say it would improve the quality of students entering medical education. With over 2 lakh students passing out every year through the State board, at least 2,000 students would make it to medical colleges in the State, they argue.
“Most faculty in private medical colleges have worked for the government and then moved out. We hope all students are prepared for NEET. We expect all students to do better next year. The results would be different compared to last year or even this year,” said the principal of a deemed University-run medical college in Kancheepuram.
Ramalingam Sankaran, dean, PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, said that NEET was good as it would ensure a minimum standard of entry. “CBSE students who score well in NEET will now be able to enter, unlike before, when non-CBSE students had a greater advantage. Non-CBSE stream students in the State who initially had the advantage might find it challenging. But we have to have a single mechanism by which we measure a student’s competence before entry,” he said.
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Fee structure
T.P. Kalanithi, principal of Karpagam Faculty of Medical Sciences and Research, Coimbatore, said the consortium of private medical colleges had approached the Supreme Court and the fee fixation committee to arrive at a reasonable figure while fixing fee structures for all medical colleges.
“We have requested an annual fee revision across the country. The fee should be based on the expenditure of running a medical college,” he said.
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The higher fee structure in Annamalai University at Rs. 6.5 lakh a year is a point of reference to these administrators.