COIMBATORE: The National Entrance cum Eligibility Test (NEET) is still a hot potato for the regional political parties, while the students have come to terms with the reality. With just a month to go for the test, many of them have enrolled with private coaching centres for crash courses, which have got underway in the city this week.
While coaching classes for both JEE and NEET are in demand, the latter seems to be the most sought-after. Sources with Winner’s Academy, Chennai, said several students from Rajapalayam, Coimbatore, Erode and
Puducherry have joined them for NEET coaching classes.
“We are surprised to see students from different states and countries enrolling with us. Students from Pune, Calcutta, Dubai and
Malaysia have approached us for the course,” said
Sanjay Gaglani, who runs the academy. The centre had about 50 students last year. With 140 students this year, they have three batches now, instead of one last year. “Slots are full for the next two years,” Gaglani said.
Representatives of private NEET coaching centres in the city said there has been a 20% increase in the number of students enrolling for the crash course, compared to the last year. They attributed it to the increasing awareness about the exam.
“Last year, there was a confusion whether the exam would be held or not. But this year, they know that the exam is mandatory,” said Gowtham Mohankumar, administrative officer of the city branch of Dearc Academy.
Since there is no cap on the number of attempts, students failed in their last attempt have also joined the coaching this year to prepare better for the exam, said R Sivakumar from TIME coaching centre in the city.
“When MBBS admissions were made based on Class XII marks, students had no option but select courses based on their marks. Now that the admissions are made based on NEET marks, students who attempt the exam for the second time too prefer crash courses,” he added.
However, there aren’t many takers for the crash courses among the students from rural areas. “They still face the exam with some fear,” Sivakumar said.
Though some coaching centres offer courses in Tamil, the demand for the same is low as the state conducts free courses in Tamil for government and aided school students. “The demand for NEET courses in Tamil is low. We have just five students,” said I Mohan, manager of Wisdom Institute.
P Kanagaraj, head of political science department, Government Arts, attributed the increase in the number of students enrolling for crash courses to the ‘shock factor’ of suddenly having to face a national-level exam. Kanagaraj, who has been conducting NEET awareness programmes for government school children in the district, exuded confidence that a large number of TN students would easily clear the test in the future. “It is best if they start coaching for the test from Class VIII,” he added.
(With inputs from
Vinayashree J)
