Sharp Decline in Students Opting for NEET in Marathi: From 31,239 in 2019 to 1,759 in 2024

Pune, 8th June 2024: The National Education Policy 2020 proposes making medical and engineering courses available in Marathi. However, statistics show a significant decline in students choosing to take the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical courses in Marathi. Despite the availability of NEET in Marathi, it remains uncertain how many students will prefer this option. While the percentage of students taking exams in Marathi is decreasing, the number of students opting for other regional languages is either increasing or stable, raising concerns about the declining interest in the Marathi medium option.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) recently announced the results of the NEET exam for admission to medical courses, which can be taken in various regional languages, including Marathi. In 2019, 31,239 students took the NEET in Marathi. Since then, the numbers have steadily declined: 6,258 in 2020, 2,913 in 2021, 2,368 in 2022, 1,833 in 2023, and only 1,759 students this year.

In contrast, the number of students taking the NEET in some other regional languages has either increased or remained stable. For instance, 1,79,857 students took the exam in Hindi in 2019. This number rose to 2,04,399 in 2020, 2,28,641 in 2021, 2,58,827 in 2022, 2,76,180 in 2023, and 3,57,908 in 2024. Similarly, 48,265 students took the exam in Bengali, 58,836 in Gujarati, 1,545 in Urdu, and 30,536 in Tamil this year.

Against this backdrop, the National Education Policy 2020 proposes offering NEET in Marathi, and work has already begun. However, given the declining interest in taking the entrance exam in Marathi, there is doubt about whether students will prefer medical courses in Marathi.

It is crucial to address the declining percentage of students taking the NEET in Marathi. The Maharashtra State Government should investigate the reasons behind this trend. A committee should be appointed to conduct a separate study. The education department should also raise awareness about the feasibility of taking the NEET in Marathi, provide study materials, and conduct practice exams in Marathi to encourage students. Efforts must be sustained for at least the next five years, involving schools, colleges, universities, and health sciences institutions. Additionally, Marathi should be taught compulsorily in classes XI and XII.

Marathi Language Advisory Committee Chairman Laxmikant Deshmukh emphasized the urgent need for Maharashtra to adopt a proactive stance similar to other states regarding language promotion.