The DMK government will reach out to all State governments on its stand on abolishing NEET and conducting admissions to medical courses on the basis of Class XII marks, thereby creating a scenario where NEET is completely done away with, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said on Wednesday.
In a video message, Mr. Stalin said he was heartbroken after yet another medical aspirant, T. Soundharya, had died by suicide — the third such death this past week.
Mr. Stalin accused the Union government of being “cold-hearted” on the issue of NEET, despite it having many confusions.
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He said the DMK had held many protests against the exam, which was an injustice being meted out to students, and one that was closing the doors of medical education for many. “You don’t need qualifications for studying. If you study, the qualification will automatically come,” Mr. Stalin said.
The Chief Minister said some people had allowed NEET in Tamil Nadu for their selfish interests and even now were engaging in false propaganda that such an unjust system must continue.
Mr. Stalin told students that they had the capacity to become medical professionals and be victorious, and they should have self confidence to achieve anything. He said the government had set up a helpline, ‘104’, to help students receive counselling if they were facing mental stress or pressures due to NEET and qualified professionals were there to help them through it. “I request you again not to lose your valuable life. We will live and fight. We will live and emerge victorious,” he said.
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On counselling
AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam reiterated the need for counselling for candidates who took NEET.
He made the suggestion in the light of the death of Soundharya. On Tuesday, AIADMK co-coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami had suggested the formation of a panel of teachers, educationists and psychologists to instil confidence among aspirants about NEET.
BJP State president K. Annamalai exhorted students to find where they were lacking, and not lose heart due to failures. He said, “if you are unable to pass, there is a need for change either in your training methods, syllabus or exam preparation techniques”.
( Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050. )