Addressing the concerns with NEET

What is the issue?

National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is distressing rural students with medical aspirations, the test needs a reform. 

What is the basis of NEET?

• NEET is based on a core curriculum approach, whereby the syllabi of all the school boards have been taken into consideration.
• It has been prepared by the CBSE, Council of Boards of School Education,National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and adopted by the Medical Council of India.

What are the issues with Indian education system?

• India doesn’t have a common core curriculum, there are 50 different boards.
• There are wide variations with regard to curriculum design, curriculum transaction and curriculum evaluation among these boards.
• No significant efforts had been taken so far to bring some sort of uniformity in these curriculums.
• Only few state boards have prepared their content in tune with the curriculum of national boards, particularly in science subjects, but many of them have not fallen in line.

What are the issues with NEET?

• There are allegations that NEET is infringing upon the state governments’ power to hold admissions in the medical colleges funded by them. 
• Students from some of the state boards are at a disadvantage from progressive boards.
• Students in rural India and those studying in state government-run schools seem to have a lesser chance of success.
• These examinations do not test the attitude and aptitude of the students correctly.
• There is more concentration of students from national boards clearing the exam.
• At present a candidate can claim domicile in more than one state, which makes the admission process lengthy and allows scope for malpractices.

What can be done?

• It is the best “coached”, not the best “talent”, who cracks such a type of exam, Central and state governments must provide best in class coaching for such exams.
• Typology of the questions and design of the question paper must be changed to improve the situation.
• Upper age limit may be fixed to ensure the quality of future doctors.

• Uniform domicile rule needs to be adopted so that candidate must claim seat only in his/her state, this will maintain state autonomy.
• Vacant seats can be filled later through a central counselling such that all the candidates are allotted seats as per their merit.

Source: Business Standard