Cancel NEET, it is Against Interest of Students, Says Tamil Actor Suriya Sivakumar

Tamil actor Suriya Sivakumar wrote a letter on behalf of his NGO Agaram Foundation stating that the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) is against the interest of students and it should be cancelled. He took to Twitter demanding that medical entrance test is against the marginalised communities and government school students.

The letter was submitted by the foundation to a high-level panel headed by Justice AK Rajan which was appointed by TN government to study the impact of NEET on medical admissions in the state. The panel will also study the impact of NEET on marginalised students and government school students.

In the letter, Sivakumar said, “It is only imperative that we rightfully keep the government and change-makers informed about the concerns in exams like NEET, if not such common exams can sabotage the future of our children.”

“For a country like India that is diverse in language and culture, it is only fair if the education system is in the hands of its state. Through this, we can see a permanent solution. I request all the state political parties to unite and work towards making education a state’s responsibility and right.” he added.

He also wrote that for the marginalised communities, government and government-aided schools are the only able source of education. “Of the 40% marginalised students studying in government schools and 25% students studying in government-aided schools in Tamil Nadu — only 20% students’ avail higher education,” added the actor in the letter.

Common exams such as NEET deprive students from marginalised community students from availing good education. Those who dream of becoming doctors will be severely crippled by the implementation of NEET, the actor wrote.

Earlier, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, MK Stalin had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to cancel the NEET 2021 exams due to the pandemic. The exam is scheduled to be held on August 1, however, application forms for the same are not yet released.

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