Rajan Committee report lopsided, charges ex Anna University V-C

CHENNAI:  After the AK Rajan Committee report was made public, the buzz regarding NEET refuses to die down. Now, former vice-chancellor of Anna University, E Balagurusamy, has objected to it.

He alleged that the report is based on skewed statistics and scripted in order to suit the whims and fancies of the ruling party. Balagurusamy believes even getting the President’s assent for the bill that was recently passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly, seeking exemption from NEET, will not be easy.  

He said, “It is really unfortunate that Tamil Nadu government has passed the anti-NEET bill based on this squinted report. The report is lopsided. It seems the committee wrote recommendations first and then drafted contents to support it.”

Balagurusamy further said the national-level test gives an opportunity to the students of the state to get admission into Central institutions, Central universities, all deemed universities, as well as 15% in all other medical colleges in India. “These seats are much more than the seats available in TN medical colleges. Also, NEET scores will help students in securing admissions abroad,” he added. 

Balagurusamy pointed out that in July, an announcement was made by Centre of 27% reservation for OBC and 10% EWS in All India Quota, which will benefit a large number of poor and rural students get seats in medical colleges, but the AK Rajan Committee has not mentioned anything about it in its report.

The committee has mentioned that NEET is not ideal for the state and has recommended banning it in TN.
A retired professor of University of Madras, on condition of anonymity, has expressed concerns over the committee’s recommendation that admission into medical colleges should be solely done on basis of Class 12 scores. “The committee says the move will ensure equality in opportunity to students from different boards of education, but it is not correct.

Allotting medical seats on the basis of Class 12 marks is not wise as all top scorers don’t qualify to become good doctors. We need to have an entrance test to check the aptitude, intellect of the students and filter out the right candidates from the top scorer lot,” he said.

On the basis of the AK Rajan committee report, the Tamil Nadu Assembly on September 13 passed a bill seeking exemption from the centralised exam, and making Class 12 exam marks the basis for medical admissions for undergraduate medical and dental courses.