TN Guv returns bill against NEET; says it's against interest of rural students

Chennai, Feb 3: Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi has returned the anti-NEET bill to Tamil Nadu assembly speaker M Appavu on Tuesday.

The Governor has returned the bill which sought 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.

A statement from Raj Bhavan said, "After detailed study of the L.A.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 specially 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 re-consideration by the House, " it said.

The 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, it added.

The Bill for admissions to undergraduate courses in medicine, dentistry, Indian medicine and homeopathy on the basis of marks obtained by students in Class XII board examinations was passed by the DMK-led assembly in September. PTI