Chennai, July 18 (BPNS)
The Tamil Nadu health department has commenced counselling for students who have appeared for the NEET examination and their parents. State health minister, Ma Subramanian inaugurated the helpline of the health department that provides counselling to students and parents to make them mentally strong.
It may be noted that after the NEET examination of 2021 some students committed suicide and this has led to the state government operating a helpline number for the students and their parents who have taken NEET 2022 on Sunday, July 17th.
Counsellors will speak to students and parents over phone to lend assistance who calls the state health department helpline no 104.
It is to be noted that 1,42,286 students appeared for NEET in the state and compared to the last two years more students have appeared for the medical entrance examination in Tamil Nadu this year. In 2020, 1,17,000 students appeared for NEET while in 2021 1,10,971 students had appeared for the examination.
The Tamil Nadu government was vehemently opposed to NEET and a bill was passed in the state assembly to do away with the All India entrance examination and instead select candidates on the basis of the marks scored in the Plus two examinations. The DMK had in its election manifesto announced that it would scrap NEET if it was voted to power in the 2021 elections. The Tamil Nadu governor not forwarding the bill to the President of India for further action had been a major political slugfest between the state government and Governor R.N. Ravi.
State health minister, Ma Subramanian while speaking to BPNS said, “As of now students have appeared for NEET and we are providing counselling for students and their parents to make them mentally strong. Students and parents can call the helpline no 104 to talk to professional counsellors who would be of assistance to them.”
The minister said that in 2021 also the health department had provided counselling to students and the feedback was the counselling had given major mental support to the students who had taken the NEET. He also said that counselling was given two to three times during 2021 for the students who had taken NEET which had helped them in a big way to regain their composure. He said that this year also students and parents would be provided counselling any number of times if they call the state health department helpline no 104.
The Tamil Nadu government is providing a 7.5% reservation for admission to medical colleges in the state for students who have studied their plus Two in government and government-aided schools.
The state health minister told IANS that in 2021, 555 students had benefitted from this 7.5% reservation for students of government and government-aided institutions. It is to be noted that of the 1,42,286 students who had appeared for NEET, 17,567 were from government and government-aided schools.
