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Stalin-led meeting agrees to pursue legal fight to exempt TN from NEET
The meeting came a day after the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government secured a landmark verdict from the top court, ruling that governor RN Ravi withholding bills re-passed by the state was “illegal”
An all-party meeting chaired by Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Wednesday decided to pursue all necessary legal steps to secure exemption for the southern state from the National Eligibility-cum Entrance Test (NEET), including challenging it afresh in the Supreme Court. The Opposition AIADMK as well as the BJP boycotted the meeting, which they dubbed as a “drama”.
The meeting came a day after the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government secured a landmark verdict from the top court, which on April 8 ruled that governor RN Ravi withholding bills re-passed by the state assembly was “illegal”.
“The yesterday’s Supreme Court verdict (over governor vis-à-vis bills passed by TN Assembly) has given us great confidence. I have the confidence of getting exemption from NEET if we carry on our legal struggle continuously without slackness,” Stalin said in the meeting.
NEET, a pan-India entrance test for admission to medical courses, was made mandatory in Tamil Nadu in 2017 during the previous AIADMK regime.
“NEET is an exam that is being conducted by some vested interests to help the coaching industry by misleading the Union government. And it is not being conducted properly which is evident from the number of cases filed by CBI on irregularities,” Stalin said, referring to multiple cases of irregularities, including paper leak, that have surfaced in the conduct of the national exam in the last few years.
The DMK-led government wants the state to be exempted from the centralised entrance exam, a demand supported all parties in the state, except the BJP.
During the meeting of legislature party leaders, a resolution on the future course of action to be followed over the issue was adopted unanimously by all participating parties.
“This all-party meeting unanimously resolves that the Tamil Nadu government must continuously carry on the legal struggle to secure NEET exemption,” the resolution, moved by deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin, said.
In 2023, the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government moved the Supreme Court opposing the NEET. The meeting also came days after CM Stalin informed the assembly on April 4 that the anti-NEET bill adopted by the House and sent to governor to get presidential assent had been rejected by the Union government.
“The governor, a puppet of the Union government, was a stumbling block to the bill we passed despite overcoming many obstacles. In light of the Supreme Court’s verdict yesterday, we will continue our legal struggle for justice,” the DMK chief wrote in a post in Tamil on X.
The meeting resolved to take up all legal steps by consulting legal experts, including filing a fresh case, if needed, in the top court challenging the denial of approval by the Centre for the Tamil Nadu (anti-NEET) Bill. The steps also include taking forward the case filed by the Tamil Nadu government in July 2023 in apex court opposing NEET system.
The meeting was attended by DMK’s allies the Congress, CPI(M), CPI, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and BJP’s ally Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK).
