Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday, passed the Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Medical Degree Courses Bill against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for the students of the state.
AIADMK, being the first party to support the bill, along with several other political parties such as Paattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) voted in the favour of the bill in the Assembly. However, the only party that opposed the Bill and staged a walkout was the BJP
On Monday, TN Chief Minister MK Stalin tabled the Bill against NEET in the Assembly, seeking permanent exemption from the Centre’s medical entrance exam for the students studying in state.
On June 5 this year, the CM also ordered to form a panel led by retired judge AK Rajan. In the following months, the panel comprising of educationalists’ and state education department officials studied in the impact of NEET among students of government schools in Tamil Nadu and its implications on the students with economically weaker backgrounds.
The CM tabled the bill according to the report submitted by the panel on September 13.
According to the statement of objects and reasons in the Bill, it said that the panel after studying the impact of NEET has concluded that if it continues for a few more years, the health system of the State will be very badly affected. “There may not be enough doctors to employ in Primary Health Centers (PHC) and Government Hospitals. Due to this, the rural and urban poor may not be able to join medical courses, “the statement read.
The Tamil Nadu government is aiming to provide admission to undergraduate medical degree courses not through NEET, but based on the marks obtained in the qualifying examination, through normalisation methods, the statement of objects and reasons in the Bill said.
The government said that it will be done “in order to ensure social justice, uphold equality and equal opportunity, protect all vulnerable student communities from being discriminated against.”
It will also allow bringing these students to the mainstream of medical and dental education, and ensure a robust public health care in the state, the state government added.
