Armed with Bill, TN gets ready for NEET war

Armed with Bill, TN gets ready for NEET war

Dravidian parties join hands; Legal experts divided on efficacy of Bill as no other State supports TN’s demand

Published: 14th September 2021 05:42 AM 

By T Muruganandham And KV Navya

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu on Monday started a fresh bout of legal war against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) again. The ruling DMK kept its poll promise of passing a Bill to exempt the State from the exam. However, apprehensions around its ultimate success in getting the Union government’s nod remain the same as was the case five years ago when the previous AIADMK regime passed a similar Bill. Despite being an ally of the AIADMK in the State, the BJP-led Union government did not budge and returned the Bill, then.

This time, however, the new Bill is backed by the report of a special committee, led by Justice AK Rajan, that studied NEET’s impact on students from disadvantaged backgrounds. “The reason for the President to return the Bill then was not because there was a lack of data. It was on the Constitutional propriety of the State trying to get an exemption from a Central law,” said Justice K Chandru, a retired Madras High Court judge. NEET was enabled by a law passed in the Parliament, and at best, the State Assembly can pass a resolution showing its disapproval, he said, adding that there was no support from other States, too.

A few other legal experts have a different opinion. Justice Hari Paranthaman, also a retired Madras HC judge, said there have been earlier instances of such exemptions from the Central law for a single State. “For instance, the Hindu Marriages Act, where only TN was given an exemption.”Much of the course ahead will depend on how the Union government will treat the new Bill that will be sent for a presidential nod. As much as legal, there are also other factors, including political considerations. The BJP-led government also seems determined on having a uniform education policy.

However, the Bill on its part, puts forth its reasons in strong words. Quoting the report of the panel, the Bill said NEET festers inequality, as it favours the rich and more privileged class of society who can afford special coaching, apart from pursuing Class XII. “It virtually barricades the underprivileged social groups from medical and dental education. This is against the very object of the equality clause enshrined in the Constitution, and infringes the right to education of children from underprivileged classes of society,” it said.

The Bill, introduced by Chief Minister MK Stalin, said medical admissions will be based on marks scored in Class 12 board examinations. Barring the BJP, an Opposition ally, all parties in the House supported the Bill, and it was passed by a voice vote. Under this, government school students will have a 7.5 per cent reservation for medical and dental admissions in the State. Incidentally, the passing of the Bill comes a day after Dhanush, a NEET aspirant, committed suicide in Mettur. Although the AIADMK staged a walkout blaming the ruling DMK for the aspirant’s death, Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami extended his party’s full support to the Bill during the discussion and the Chief Minister thanked him for the same.

All parties, except BJP, extend support to Bill

When the Bill was introduced by Chief Minister MK Stalin, barring the BJP, an Opposition ally, all parties supported it, and it was passed by a voice vote

‘Infringes right to education...’

The Bill stated, ”It virtually barricades the underprivileged social groups from medical and dental education. This is against the very object of the equality clause enshrined in the Constitution, and it also infringes the right to education of children from these underprivileged classes of society.”