Anti-NEET bill in Tamil Nadu

Ground Report | New Delhi: Anti-NEET bill in Tamil Nadu; The Tamil Nadu Undergraduate Medical Degree Course Admission Bill, 2021 (Anti-NEET Bill) was passed by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Monday, September 13. Chief Minister MK Stalin introduced the bill, which seeks permanent exemption from the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

The Bill seeks to prevent admission on the basis of NEET and grant them on the basis of Class 12 marks. The bill is based on the findings of the Justice AK Rajan Committee, which analyzed the impact of social status, economic backwardness, and reservation on the performance of students in the national examination.

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Anti-NEET bill in Tamil Nadu

The move comes after a medical candidate in the state committed suicide fearing failure in the crucial national entrance-cum-eligibility test. The deceased has been identified as Kanimozhi, daughter of advocate couple Karunanidhi and Vijayalakshmi. The student who appeared in the examination for the third time surrendered for fear of failure.

Introducing the bill, CM MK Stalin said it seeks to bring vulnerable student communities "into the mainstream of medical and dental education and in turn ensure strong public health care across the state, especially in rural areas."

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The matter falling under List III (Concurrent List) of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution is against the law of the Union. In case of conflict between the laws of the center and the states, the provisions of the central law prevail.

The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has proved that he is doing good governance by passing a bill on NEET. The AIADMK had accused the DMK of not fulfilling its poll promise to abolish NEET. Former CM Palaniswami said that this has created confusion among the students who were not sure about conducting the exam this year. There is no clear stand of the DMK government on NEET, he said.

Similar bill in the past

A similar bill introduced in 2017 by the AIADMK government was denied the assent of the President. Further, the Supreme Court had directed the government to stick to NEET, saying that given the relaxation, there would be compromise on intelligence.

Similarly, in 2011, the Supreme Court refused to interfere with the Madras High Court's decision to abolish the Common Entrance Test for admission to professional courses in Tamil Nadu.

Why should we insist on NEET?

Offers uniform curriculum across the country.

A medical degree allows one to practice anywhere in India and not just in the state where the degree was obtained. The Center should be empowered to insist on minimum standards.

In its draft fee fixation guidelines, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has barred medical colleges from charging capitation fees and directed institutions to fix it on the basis of operating costs. This move eliminates the need to reject NEET on the basis of rising costs.

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