Don’t impose medical CET on TN: Jaya
Posted on: 03/Aug/2011 12:03:24 AM
Tamilnadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to exempt the State from the national entrance examination for medical courses.
In a letter to the Prime Minister dated 30 July, which was released to the media here today, Jayalalithaa said, `It has been brought to my notice that the government of India has decided to introduce National Eligibility cum Entrance Examination for admission to undergraduate and post graduate medical courses.
The government of Tamilnadu has taken steps since 2005 and finally abolished the entrance examination for the professional courses from the year 2007-08. This was done after detailed examination by an expert committee which found that rural students and students from lower socio economic backgrounds are unable to compete with the urban elite students in such common entrance examination as they lack the requisite training institutions and materials.`
Stating that a large number of socially and economically backward meritorious rural students have benefited because of the decision to abolish the common entrance examination for professional courses, the Chief Minister said Tamilnadu has also been able to manage its medical manpower requirement in the rural areas due to the large number of rural students who get admission to undergraduate courses in government medical colleges due to the existing admission policy.
`As part of its policy of upholding social justice, Tamilnadu has been following 69 per cent reservation for backward and most backward communities and scheduled castes and tribes in professional courses. The introduction of a common entrance test would create confusion and litigation in the smooth implementation of this reservation policy both in undergraduate and postgraduate admissions,` she said.
Jayalalithaa added: `The Tamilnadu government strongly protests the move to conduct an All India Common Entrance Test for admission to medical courses proposed by the government of India. In view of all the facts pointed out, I request that Tamilnadu may be exempted from the test and allowed to continue with its existing system for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate medical seats.`
