Chennai: With medical entrance test (Neet) looking certain from next year for medical admissions, schools in Namakkal and Erode districts known for producing high number of MBBS graduates have witnessed a drop in their admissions up to 10 per cent this year.
“We are having three schools. In two schools, this year the number of students was down up to 10 per cent this year. Students might have opted for government schools in their own districts,” said P.Swaminathan, secretary, SRV schools in Namakkal and Tiruchy districts.
“SRV hi-tech (girls) matriculation higher secondary school in Rasipuram had more students whereas SRV boys higher secondary school got around 50 students less this year,” he said.
Generally, these schools used to have 85% students from the State board and 15% students from CBSE board for Class XI. “The CBSE board students might have opted to continue in Standards XI and 12 in CBSE board itself as the exam will be based on CBSE syllabus,” P.Swaminathan said.
Some school correspondents pointed out that the familiarity of the syllabus of Class XII as the main reason for the decrease in admissions. Greenpark school correspondent SPN Saravanan said, “This year all schools in the district have witnessed a drop in admissions. Even in our school this year, we received less number of applications compared to last year.”
Most private schools in the western districts have started Neet coaching for Class 12 students this year. These students are being given Neet coaching by school teachers and outside faculty as well.
Parents allege that some schools are charging as high as Rs 70,000 as coaching fee for entrance exam. “Some schools partnering with coaching institutions are demanding an exorbitant sum from Rs 60,000 to Rs 70,000 as coaching fee alone,” they said.
While rejecting complaints, Saravanan said the schools are collecting a fee for material, faculty salary and testing scheme. “The Neet coaching is entirely different and it will be done in the summer months. We also have to employ special faculty for the coaching.”
He said all students may not need Neet coaching. “Only students who aspire to join medical seats will join the coaching. The coaching will be given to both Plus one and Plus two students from this year.” Some schools also entered into the agreement with the coaching institutions.
Namakkal schools to give importance to plus-1 syllabus too
Namakkal schools which brought the practice of not teaching plus-1 subjects are planning to focus on them 1 from this year.
The Neet has 180 questions from physics, chemistry, botany and zoology. Of these, 90 questions from plus-1 and 90 from plus-2 will be asked.
“Earlier also, we used to teach 80% of the syllabus in plus-1. We will teach all topics and sub-topics in plus-1 from this year. But, plus-1 alone won’t be enough to crack Neet,” said P.Swaminathan, secretary, SRV schools in Namakkal and Tiruchy districts.. “The Central government should give weightage to theory marks while admitting students in medical courses. My suggestion is they can give 200 marks weightage to theory exams and 100 marks weightage to Neet,” he said. “If the government gives weightage to only Neet in medical admissions, then there will be inequality in the classrooms and schools may convert themselves as coaching centres.”
