Tamil Nadu Governor returns Bill against NEET to state, calls it ‘anti-poor’

The state government had cited the same reason — that NEET was against the poor, among others — while formulating the Bill.

Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi (File)

Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi has returned to the Assembly Speaker a Bill that seeks exemption for the state from the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), stating that the Bill is “against interests of the students, specially the rural and economically poor students of the state”, according to a statement from Raj Bhavan issued on Thursday.

The state government had cited the same reason — that NEET was against the poor, among others — while formulating the Bill.

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The Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Medical Degree Courses Bill, 2021, was sent back to Speaker M Appavu on Tuesday, “giving detailed reasons, for its reconsideration by the House”, the Raj Bhavan stated.

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It said the decision came after a detailed study of the Bill for admission to undergraduate (UG) medical courses seeking exemption from NEET for the state, as well as a report of the high-level committee formed by the state government.

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

Explained

Why the Bill was introduced

The Bill sought to provide admission to medical courses on the basis of marks in Class XII Board examination, a system followed in Tamil Nadu before the implementation of NEET in 2017. The Bill stated that medical courses were traceable to entry 25 of List III, Schedule VII of the Constitution, thereby making the state government a competent authority to regulate admissions for the underprivileged social groups.

The Bill was passed by the state Assembly in September 2021. Almost all parties in the state had supported it, including main opposition AIADMK, with BJP being the only party to stage a walkout during its introduction in the House.

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Arguing that NEET was against the equality clause enshrined in the Constitution, the Bill stated, “It [NEET] festers inequality, as it favours the rich and the more privileged class of society, who are able to afford special coaching apart from pursuing Class XII. It virtually barricades the underprivileged social groups from medical and dental education.”

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It also raised concerns that students from the affluent class do not serve in rural areas after medical UG programmes and often pursue postgraduate courses abroad, leading to a decline in the number of serving doctors in the state.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday announced convening an all-party meeting on Saturday to discuss the next course of action on NEET issue after the Governor returned the Bill.

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