Tamil Nadu Governor returns govt bill seeking NEET exemption for state

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi has returned to the state government, an Assembly bill seeking an exemption to the state from the National Entrance cum Eligibility Test (NEET), saying it went against the interests of rural and economically poor students. The Governor has returned the bill and the report of a high-level committee constituted by the state government in this connection to the Assembly Speaker M Appavu, a Raj Bhavan release said.

The Governor "after detailed study of the LA Bill No.43 of 2021 for admission to undergraduate medical courses seeking exemption from NEET, and the report of the high-level committee constituted by the state government in this regard, which is the basis for the Bill and also examining the pre-NEET status of social justice in medical admission especially for students coming from socially and economically poor background, is of the opinion that the Bill is against interests of the students especially the rural and economically poor students of the state." "Hence, the Hon'ble Governor has returned the Bill to the Hon'ble Speaker, Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on February 01, 2022, giving detailed reasons, for its reconsideration by the House, " it said.

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The Supreme Court in Christian Medical College, Vellore Association Vs. Union of India (2020) also has comprehensively examined the issue especially from the social justice perspective and upheld NEET as it prevents economic exploitation of poor students and is in furtherance of social justice, it added.

Recently, Tamil Nadu MPs had protested against the delay of the NEET Bill in Parliament before the address by President Ram Nath Kovind during the Budget session.

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The bill seeks to exempt Tamil Nadu from the NEET exams and provide admissions to medical courses on the basis of Class 12 marks. The NEET exemption bill also intends to offer horizontal reservations to students studying in Tamil Nadu government schools. The bill has been introduced keeping in view the alleged suicide cases in the state due to fewer marks in the NEET exam.