Recently the Centre approved the state’s plea to conduct NEET (Na...
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Recently the Centre approved the state’s plea to conduct NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) in Gujarati after many parents and students expressed their concerns. As their demands were finally met, we take a look at what this means for the Gujarati medium students in the state.
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Recently the Centre approved the state’s plea to conduct NEET (
National Eligibility cum Entrance Test
) in
Gujarati
after many parents and students expressed their concerns. As their demands were finally met, we take a look at what this means for the Gujarati medium students in the state.
Naiya Patel, a Class XII student and a NEET aspirant says, “Our teachers have prepared us in a way that we could have tackled NEET in English too. But taking an entrance examination in our mother tongue gives us more confidence and that is very important to crack a national level test.” There are many students like Naiya who are now at peace, busy preparing for NEET which is scheduled to be held in May next year.
Ashok Patel, biology teacher at a school says, “When there was no clarity about this issue, we were preparing our students with the English reference books that are available in the market. But thankfully, the decision came and students are relieved.”
Echoing a similar sentiment, Sushil Naik, owner and teacher at a private coaching institute says, “Till this decision came, we had reference books only in English and it is difficult to prepare students for a national level exam without one. Now publishers have started publishing it in Gujarati too. This is important for students from the outskirts.”
Naik asserts that although there are initial difficulties in adjusting to a new syllabus, but in the long run, a centralized NEET will ensure quality education. Students from the state will be competent enough to match the standards of students from all over India. Hanish Gandhi, whose daughter is in class XII, agrees. “For students like my daughter, who were already halfway through their curriculum when the decision to take NEET was announced, it is difficult. Our plea was to incorporate NEET in 2018,” he explains.
Gandhi is one of the active protestors when it comes to issues relating to NEET. About NEET being allowed in Gujarati, he says, “When you organize an entrance exam, are you checking a student’s language proficiency or their knowledge? It is a student’s right to take an exam in his/her mother tongue.” He adds that although verbal guarantee has been provided, there is still no written circular about it. “We hope that the government remains true to its promise. There are many other issues that still remain and we are working towards bringing them to the fore,” he shares.
So, NEET can be taken in Gujarati but the impending college education is in English. What then? Many feel it is still easier if the pressure of switching the language is faced post the entrance exam. Bhavya Gokani, a post graduate student of medicine says, “In what I have seen so far with seniors, my batch and juniors, is that when a student is asked to switch from Gujarati to English, it does come as a big challenge. But it is better if that challenge is posed once he/she is through with the entrance. In class XII, there’s just too much pressure to get into a good college.”
Rashmi Trivedi, principal of a school agrees. “Many top doctors in Ahmedabad studied in Gujarati medium schools and then went on to excel in college despite the language barrier. A student gets three to four months after the entrance exam to catch up. People have done it before and they will do it in the future too,” she opines.