Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa scrapped the Tamil Nadu Professional Courses Entrance Exams on Monday.
The move has been welcomed by the rural students and the Opposition.
Thamarai Vinayagam, principal of the Sri Ganesar Higher Secondary School in Panickanadar Kudieruppu in Tuticorin district, hailed the decision.
"The entrance exams favoured the city students," he said. "They have access to the best private coaching classes that are not available to rural students."
Rural students do not have the money to study in private coaching classes, he said, adding, "Coaching classes that last for 15 days charge between Rs 4,000 to Rs 10,000."
Even though the decision to scrap the entrance exam came after TNPCEE was held and the results published, rural students are not complaining.
Students M Nithya and Lavanya have already secured admission in engineering colleges through the management quota.
And for some, the ban proved to be a boon. G Gopal, who had done better in the Higher Secondary Certificate exam but saw his percentage fall after his TNPCEE marks were added, can now secure a seat by virtue of his high HSC marks.
The TNPCEE is held every year after the Higher Secondary Certificate exam. The entrance and HSC exam marks are added and the average used for admissions to professional colleges.
In another development, the state also banned improvement exams.
Under this, even students, who had passed, could re-appear for the HSC exams in an effort to improve the percentages and apply again for professional colleges.
Experts claim this was preferred by the rich as they could afford to re-write the exams many times.
The poor, however, could not afford the time or the fees.
This decision could also receive a lot of flak from city students, but so far, not many are complaining about Jayalalithaa's decision.
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