CHENNAI: In line with an announcement made in the Governor's address, the Tamil Nadu Government is likely to move state-specific amendment either on Tuesday or Wednesday to two Central Acts to exempt students from appearing for NEET.
Since medical education falls under the concurrent list, the state government is empowered to bring state-specific amendments to The Indian Medical Council Bill 2016 and The Dentists Bill 2016 to exempt students from Tamil Nadu from appearing for the national test to get admission into medical and dental courses.
The bills are likely to be tabled either on Tuesday or Wednesday before the Tamil Nadu Assembly, sources said. “The Governor's address clearly mentioned that the Tamil Nadu Government wants to continue with the existing single-window counselling method to admit students to medical courses,” the source said.
With Opposition Leader M.K. Stalin also expressing his party's support for passing the amendment bill, it will be a smooth sail for the Bill once it is brought in the Assembly. The ruling AIADMK and Opposition parties have been speaking in one voice against NEET and have been maintaining that the state should find its own ways to exempt itself from the national entrance test.
Though the Bill will pass the test in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, it needs the concurrence of the Union Government and Presidential Assent to come into force. “After the Tamil Nadu Assembly passes the amendment bill, it will go to the Governor for his assent and after which he will reserve the Bill for Presidential Assent,” the source said.
If the Bill comes into force, medical admission would be done through the existing counselling system. In his address to the House last Monday, Governor CH Vidyasagar Rao said this Government is of the firm belief that the introduction of National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for medical admissions would be a direct infringement on the rights of the State and would cause grave injustice to the students of Tamil Nadu.
“This Government will take all necessary steps to continue its existing fair and transparent system of admission to medical and dental colleges in the State,” he had said.
