NEET 2017: Law ministry clears Tamil Nadu govt’s ordinance to exempt state students from NEET exam.
Setting the stage for next round of wrangle over NEET, union law ministry on Wednesday gave its nod for a Tamil Nadu Ordinance to exempt the state from NEET for MBBS/BDS admissions under government quota this year.
Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad cleared the draft ordinance in consultation with Attorney General KK Venugopal.
The official, who requested anonymity, said the ordinance will be applicable only to government colleges, and not private ones.
Tamil Nadu chief minister K Palaniswamy, state ministers and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai had multiple meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other central ministers over NEET.
Medical students in shock: TN government might exempt state from NEET exam.
“We have worked really hard to get a good score in NEET and now saying we are not taking it is like playing with my future,” said a medical aspirant who is protesting against the proposed ordinance by the Tamil Nadu government to exempt the state from NEET.
What is the issue?
For many years now, in Tamil Nadu there have not been separate entrance exams. It is all based on their 12th marks and this is to ensure that urban and rural students are all assessed on a single window platform, and also help rural students who can’t afford expensive private coaching for entrance exams.
What is NEET?
The NEET is an entrance examination for students who wish to study MBBS and BDS courses in government or private medical colleges. It is conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
The NEET replaced the All India Pre Medical Test (AIPMT) and all individual MBBS exams conducted by states or colleges.
However, many colleges and institutes had taken a stay order and conducted private examinations for admission to their MBBS and BDS courses.
Tamil Nadu, which had initially sought permanent exemption from NEET by passing two bills in the Assembly, later made efforts to be out of its ambit for at least a year or two.
A large number of parents and students who favour NEET-based admission to medical courses have already approached lawyers in order to challenge the legality of the Ordinance, as and when it is promulgated. Since related cases are pending before the Supreme Court as well, they are likely to be filed in the apex court directly.
Meanwhile, the Centre told Madras high court on Wednesday that in a day or two it would take a decision on Tamil Nadu’s two legislations to exempt the state from NEET for both MBBS/BDS and pot-graduate medical admissions permanently.
A submission to this effect was made when a PIL filed by Prince Gajendra Babu of State Platform for Common School System to direct the Centre to complete the procedures for obtaining presidential assent for the legislations — Tamil Nadu Admission to MBBS and BDS courses Act, 2017 and the Tamil Nadu Admission to Post Graduate courses in Medicine and Dentistry Act, 2017 – came up for hearing.
Respected Source – FirstPost
