Instead of preparing students for NEET for medical college admission, political parties, including the ruling one, were seeking exemption for the State which is condemnable, Puthiya Tamizhagam founder president Dr Krishnasamy said today.

Students in the State were on par with others in the country and were capable of succeeding in the eligibility test. Parties should take steps to prepare the students so that they also come in the merit list, Krishnasamy told mediapersons.

On the argument that rural students would be affected by NEET, Krishnasamy, a former MLA and doctor, said that during the last 10 years, of the 30,000 students who joined medical courses in the State, only 300 were from rural areas.

There are nearly 6,500 seats, both in government and private colleges, and students from State can get at least 85
per cent of the seats on merit by appearing for NEET.

Without going into the details of admission process, parties were engaged in blaming the ruling party and also the BJP at the Centre and AIADMK ministers were unnecessarily going to Delhi seeking exemption, Krishnasamy added.

He said his party would hold demonstrations in all district headquarters of the State on August 1 against seeking exemption.

On the move to bring an ordinance for NEET exemption, he said that was not a solution as the students were mentally upset as they are unsure about their admission as all other states have started counseling with a deadline of August 1.