Centre plans to make NEET mandatory for agri courses

Coimbatore: This could be the last year for those aspiring for a seat in agricultural courses based on Class XII marks.
According to academicians, the Centre is planning to make the National Entrance cum Eligibility Test (NEET) mandatory for admission to agricultural courses from 2019.

In 2018, the Centre has included veterinary sciences along with medical and dental courses. Engineering courses will remain outside the purview of NEET in 2018, confirmed higher education minister K P Anbalagan.

Vice-chancellor of Tamil Agricultural University K Ramasamy said 13 agricultural courses were considered professional. In Tamil Nadu, there are 14 constituent colleges and 24 affiliated colleges that offer agricultural courses. Currently, a common entrance test is conducted by the Centre for 15% of the seats in all colleges.

Unlike the Medical Council of India (MCI), which is a statutory body, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is only a suggestive body and it can only propose, sources said. Parliament has to decide on this which is highly unlikely to happen this year.

Of the total available 3,080 seats in Tamil Nadu in 2017, 1,220 were for constituent colleges and 1,860 for affiliated colleges. The number of seats was increased from 2,820 in 2016 to 3,080 in 2017 after 21 private colleges applied for more seat allotments.

“The standing committee inspected these colleges and based on its report, the number of seats was increased,” he said. The number of seats is all set to increase as many colleges have applied for affiliation this year too.

According to academicians, mandating NEET for agricultural courses has come as a cultural shock to parents and students of the state. “Currently, girls are doing much better as 67% seats allotted in arts and science, 87% in agriculture and 70% in medicine are girls. So, money spent on their education and parents will be the most affected as they would want their children to pursue higher education,” said a senior academician.

Apart from this, rural students will be most affected as there was a rush for seats in agricultural courses last year after NEET became mandatory for MBBS. “Most of the medical and IAS aspirants took up agricultural courses. If NEET is mandatory, then the number of students enrolling will be affected,” said a source.