15 NEET aspirants awarded 2 lakh each by NHRC in Tripura

NEW DELHI, FEB 19: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has awarded Rs. 2 lakh as compensation to each one of the 15 tribal students from Tripura who were unable to appear for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2017.

These students were not able to appear for the Medical Entrance due to negligence on their school’s side. In addition to this, the NHRC has also ordered the Government of Tripura to ensure these students are able to avail free coaching for NEET 2018.

15 students of Eklavya Model Residential School located in Khumulwng Jirina, West Tripura, attempted to apply for the NEET last year with the help of their school Principal and a teacher. The NHRC inquiry, however, found that while the Principal and the teacher filled the online application forms of these students as mandated, they failed to complete the application fee payment before the given last date.

Later attempts by the state’s Tribal Welfare Department to approach the CBSE and get these applications accepted also did not bear any fruit.

The Tripura government, accepting the fault lay with the school, initiated disciplinary action against the erring Principal and teacher once the matter came to light through a complaint filed on May 5, 2017. However, the NHRC refused to consider this as a sufficient step and ordered the state to financially compensate each of these students and also provide them free coaching for this year’s NEET.

As per the NHRC, the students have been denied their right to education and equal opportunity through no fault of theirs, and have lost a full year of their academic careers as a result. The Commission acknowledged on February 17, 2018, that the Tripura government had arranged for the compensation and coaching facilities for the affected students and submitted its compliance report with regard to the same.