In a meet up with the top scorers of NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test), Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi was astonished to witness a direct confrontation from the parent of a top scorer. The interaction was in the Governor's signature-style of meeting the students, but later it turned against him after Ravi had come across a first-of-such-kind confrontation with the parent in Raj Bhavan since he took office. 

When the parent of a top scorer had directly confronted with the Governor over the NEET issue, his mic was deliberately taken away and the Governor's advocacy for the NEET has come at a high time when the DMK-ruling Tamil Nadu government is staunchly opposing the single-window medical examination and when the government has moved anti-NEET bill, which is now on the President's desk. 

Governor Ravi's advocacy for NEET has also sparked a political outcry and has become his latest episode of his controversial tenure. While interacting with the top NEET scorers in UG 2023 at the Raj Bhavan on Saturday - August 12, Ravi has asserted that he will never clear the state government's anti-NEET bill. Claiming that the achievements without the NEET weren't enough for the future, the Governor declared that the medical entrance test is going to stay. 

According to PTI, the Governor said, "Look, I will be the last man to give clearance, never, ever. I do not want my children to feel intellectually disabled. I want our children to compete and be the best. They have proved it." He further said, "I am telling you very frankly, I will never give clearance to anti-NEET bill. Let it be very clear." 

"Anyway, it has gone to the President because it is a subject of Concurrent List, it is a subject which only the President is competent to give clearance to", Ravi added. By citing that a myth was being dessiminated that only those who utilise the services of coaching centres could clear the medical entrance, Ravi said that the CBSE syllabus was the standard. 

He stated, "Whatever is there in the CBSE book, nothing beyond is needed. Many students, I have seen cleared it, cleared it well without going to coaching institutions. The book they have prescribed, the CBSE book, that is a standard. If the standard is lower than that, don't blame that standard. Try to raise the standard. CBSE standard is very good syllabus and NEET is not beyond that." 

Ravi went on to say, "Let there not be any confusion, NEET is going to stay in the country. I want my children to be competitive, to be the best in the country." Governor Ravi's high-pitch advocacy for NEET has come when a parent directly confronted him and sought for his clearance to ban NEET. The parent who confronted the Governor has been identified as Ammachiyappan Ramasamy and addressing directly to the Governor, he said that the Tamil Nadu students have proved that they can achieve without NEET examination. 

Replying to him, Governor Ravi claimed that those achievements won't foster the future of the students. However, Ramasamy said that Tamil Nadu has the best medical infrastructure for 70 years and that these infrastructures were built without NEET. Speaking in the Raj Bhavan, Ramasamy asked the Governor, "I am asking you as a parent, without NEET our doctors have done a lot of things. That's why I am asking you, because lot of parents are unable to spend money to pass the NEET. I am asking once again sir, my humble request, kindly sir...", and then the microphone from Ramasamy was taken away. 

Intervening Ramasamy during his speech, the Governor was heard saying, "Sit down." After the interaction, Ramasamy addressed the reporters during which he said, "The Governor says the NEET can't be banned. We believe the government. Preparing for NEET from Class 8 to Class 12 will cost Rs 20 lakh, how everyone can spend this huge money and the students are preparing for NEET for 15 hours in a day, do they have to struggle so much at their young age?". 

Ramasamy, a native of Salem, further said, "My daughter has cleared the NEET by scoring 623 marks and I have done admission for her medical course at Chengalpattu Government Medical College. She is the 878th rank holder in the state and she got a seat in government's quota. We have to Raj Bhavan to take part in the event organised by the Governor to meet the NEET top scorers and to feliciate them. The Governor has spoke about NEET and it is happy that the top scorers were awarded." 

"NEET is not a big thing to achieve. Everyone has a dream of becoming a doctor. There are several efforts to stop the growth of the first generation students. Today, they say NEET and tomorrow, it will be NExT (National Exit Test). As the first generation, we have come from low level to good heights. But instead of encouraging us to grow further, they are bringing us down again through several filters. The entire Tamil Nadu is against NEET. But, the Governor gives a different reason. As a parent, I can't accept it as a solution for a problem. I don't need NEET. Ban NEET", Ramasamy added.

He further said, "We, the parents, are in a situation where we can't change and tolerate anything. Rich people can prepare and clear the NEET, what about the students who came from poor background? I am asking after winning NEET. I am not asking with frustration, I am asking after making my daughter win in the examination. Please do something."