When Dharmendra Pradhan, India’s Education Minister, took his oath in the new parliamentary session, opposition MPs chanted “NEET” and “shame” in protest.
This reaction was in response to a recent controversy surrounding the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), or NEET-UG, an exam that decides which students gain admission to medical colleges in India.
The NEET-UG exam, overseen by Pradhan’s ministry, has always been a topic of intense debate. Every year, hundreds of thousands of aspiring doctors sit for this exam.
However, this year’s results caused a major scandal, with an unusually high number of students achieving top marks, making it difficult for even high scorers to secure seats in prestigious colleges.
Allegations of paper leaks and large-scale cheating have further tarnished the exam’s credibility, leaving many students disheartened.
One such student is Komal, an 18-year-old from Haryana, who took a gap year to prepare for NEET.
Despite obtaining what would typically be considered a “decent” score, she is concerned about her chances of securing a medical seat and has enrolled in a BSc degree course as a backup.
“I have decided to take the exam next year again, but I’m scared that this controversy can repeat,” she says.
The NEET Controversy
Protesters are demanding a retest, and states like Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have called for the exam to be scrapped, advocating for a return to state-conducted tests.
Tamil Nadu’s legislative assembly passed a resolution stating that NEET has adversely affected the state’s healthcare system by favoring students from urban and affluent backgrounds, leading to fewer doctors willing to work in rural areas.
Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, continue to demand discussions on NEET, indicating that the controversy is far from over.
A History of Discontent
Before NEET was introduced, medical college admissions were based on a national exam for premier institutions and various state-conducted exams.
NEET was officially notified in 2010 with the goals of standardizing educational competence, reducing the number of entrance exams, and eliminating the capitation fee charged by private colleges.
However, many states opposed NEET, arguing it infringed on their autonomy in college admissions.
In 2013, the Supreme Court of India struck down NEET, agreeing that it created an uneven playing field due to educational disparities between urban and rural areas.
The court emphasized the need for “barefoot doctors” willing to serve in remote areas, rather than focusing solely on academic excellence.
Yet, in 2016, a constitution bench reinstated NEET without providing substantive reasons, thus replacing all other medical entrance tests.
Continued Opposition in Tamil Nadu
The suicide of a 17-year-old student in Tamil Nadu in 2017, who failed to secure a medical seat despite excelling in her school exams, sparked massive protests against NEET.
The state, which has the highest number of medical colleges in India, has consistently opposed NEET, claiming it disadvantages students from poorer, rural backgrounds.
A high-level committee in Tamil Nadu recommended abolishing NEET, stating that it disproportionately favored students from affluent backgrounds who could afford private coaching, potentially leading to a shortage of doctors in government hospitals and rural areas.
Sathriyan, a 23-year-old from Tamil Nadu, shares his struggle with NEET.
Despite multiple attempts and good school exam scores, he couldn’t pass NEET and has now abandoned his dream of becoming a doctor, working as a postman in his village instead.
Debate Over a Single National Exam
In theory, a single national exam like NEET is “not a bad idea,” says K Sujatha Rao, former health secretary.
However, she acknowledges the current educational disparities that disadvantage rural students, exacerbating issues in rural healthcare.
Rao suggests that using school-leaving exam results for medical college admissions, as Tamil Nadu proposes, might be a better short-term solution.
“[Tamil Nadu] had one of the best health systems in the country before NEET as well,” she notes.
Others argue for the benefits of NEET. Dr. Aviral Mathur, president of the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association, believes NEET has simplified the admission process by eliminating the need for multiple state exams.
Dr. Lakshya Mittal, national president of the United Doctors’ Front Association, concurs, noting that a single exam reduces the logistical burden on students.
However, both stress the need for better exam administration and the elimination of paper leaks to restore faith in NEET’s integrity.
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