Coaching centres earned Rs 12,000 crore from students who appeared in NEET exams, DMK MP Tiruchi Siva claimed in Rajya Sabha on Monday as he demanded early assent of the President to the two bills passed by Tamil Nadu Assembly exempting the state from NEET test.
Raising the issue through a special mention, Siva said the NEET examination has "not given the desired results" and it has deprived rural students and the students who are coming from a very poor economic background.
Thirteen lakh students have appeared for the NEET Examination and around six lakh students have passed and all those who have passed the examination have gone to the coaching centres, Siva claimed.
"They have passed with the help of these coaching centres. Every student is paying around Rs two lakh (for coaching). The amount of Rs 12,000 crore is being earned by these coaching centres for these classes. The students who were not able to go to the coaching centres did not pass the examination. In spite of scoring good marks in the 10+2 examinations, they were not able to pass the NEET Examination," he said.
Pointing out that five students who could not clear NEET have committed suicide in Tamil Nadu this year, Siva also said that the NEET does not ensure a quality standard because all the reputed doctors in the world have not passed their medical examinations through this NEET Examination.
"So, considering all these situations, the feelings, the sentiments and the background of these students, the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has passed two Bills unanimously to exempt Tamil Nadu from NEET Examination," he said adding the Bill sent for Presidential assent is pending with Ministry of Home and Health.
"This is a very bad situation. It is a federal set up. If the State Legislative Assembly has passed a Resolution or a Bill or taken a decision, it has to be regarded. Underestimating or disregarding the decision of the State Assembly accounts for not giving importance to the federal structure," he added.