Does NEET favour CBSE students?
With NEET results favouring CBSE students year after year, is Tamil Nadu’s state board putting its students at a disadvantage?
Tamil Nadu’s state board students once held 99 per cent of the state’s medical seats. But by 2020-21, that number dropped to just 59 per cent. Meanwhile, CBSE students jumped from holding 1 per cent of the seats in 2015-16 to over 32 per cent in 2020-21. Among top 1000 NEET rank holders in 2022, 579 were from CBSE and just 394 from state boards.
Students speak up
Many students say the problem lies in how they’re taught.
"In school, we basically learn theoretically. But NEET is totally different — it’s about understanding concepts, shortcuts, and time management," says Sharmila, a NEET aspirant.
Akshaya adds, "I didn’t write Physics and Chemistry. There were too many numerical problems. We don’t get much exposure to that in our syllabus."
Also read: NTA 'lapses' in NEET-UG 2024: SC closes case as Centre says it will implement reforms
The syllabus gap
NEET is based on the NCERT syllabus, which CBSE students already follow. Tamil Nadu state board students, despite a revised syllabus in 2017-18 and 2019-20, still find themselves lagging in concept-based learning and numerical application — critical to clearing NEET.
Coaching conundrum
Even with government-sponsored coaching, students feel underprepared.
"The coaching helped me understand the exam format and manage time better," says Prasath.
But the question remains: Can free coaching match up to elite private NEET academies?
Also read: NEET exam: Tamil Nadu govt to fight legally for exemption
Structural barriers remain
Experts like Dr G R Ravindranath call for structural changes:
- 10 per cent reservation for government school students
- 3 per cent reservation for government-aided school students
- 20 per cent quota for Tamil medium students
- 30 per cent additional marks in NEET for these categories
The CBSE edge
"Every single line in our textbook matters in NEET," says Lakshana, a CBSE student. She adds that state board peers struggle with CBSE-style phrasing and direct NCERT-based questions.
Also read: NEET exam fear: When pressure leads to tragedy; students reveal ordeal
The big question
If NEET is here to stay, can a level playing field be created? Should medical admission depend on the syllabus you study or your economic background — or simply your dream?
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