Tamil Nadu Rejects Centre's 'NEET Based Admissions For AYUSH' Advise

Second time in one week, the Tamil Nadu government rejected a proposal by the union government in education reforms, this time, the state said no to using NEET marks as the basis for admissions to colleges teaching Indian systems of medicine and Homeopathy. Last week, Tamil Nadu opposed the Centre's draft Bill on setting up a Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) and wanted the existing arrangement with the University Grants Commission (UGC) at the helm to continue.

After rejecting the centre's proposal, Tamil Nadu said the Class 12 marks would continue to be the norm for teaching Indian systems of medicine and Homeopathy. 

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappady K Palaniswami tweeted the press release of the decision to continue with the current system after it was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister in which Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, senior Ministers and top government officials participated. 

While arriving at this decision, the release said, the government took a fact in to consideration that the Centre had not made any amendments in respect of admissions in the Indian Medicine Central Council Act. 

The meet at the Secretariat followed an advisory from the Union government, asking Tamil Nadu to use NEET marks as the basis for admissions in colleges offering Indian systems of medicine - Ayurveda, Siddha Unani, and Homeopathy. 

Currently, NEET or National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test is being conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), for admission to MBBS/BDS Courses in India in Medical/Dental Colleges run with the approval of Medical Council of India/Dental Council of India under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

Though the Centre had been giving this advise for the past two academic years, Tamil Nadu had expressed its "strong opposition" over the issue, the release said. 

"The Centre has already been told that NEET cannot be followed for admissions to Indian systems of medicine," it said. 

AYUSH stands for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani,Siddha and Homoeopathy. 

The Central Council of Indian Medicine is the body that governs the education in native streams of medicine. 

இந்திய மருத்துவ முறை படிப்புகளுக்கான மாணவர் சேர்க்கை +2 தேர்வில் பெற்ற மதிப்பெண்கள் அடிப்படையிலேயே நடைபெறும் என மாண்புமிகு தமிழ்நாடு முதலமைச்சர் திரு.எடப்பாடி கே.பழனிசாமி அவர்கள் அறிவிப்பு.. pic.twitter.com/LTpHRsxXdu

- Edappadi K Palaniswami (@CMOTamilNadu) July 16, 2018

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