Tamil Nadu Assembly passes bill to scrap NEET medical entrance – All you need to know

Once again, the Tamil Nadu Assembly has unanimously passed the bill against the conduction of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in the state through a vote of voice on Tuesday. This takes the state one step closer to the scrapping of the national medical entrance exam.

Earlier, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin had said that a special assembly would be convened to pass another bill for the exemption of the NEET exam in the state, soon after Governor RN Ravi rejected the bill, calling it anti-poor.

Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Thursday had said that the bill seeking the exemption of the NEET medical entrance in the state goes against the interests of the students living in rural areas. The bill was passed unanimously today in a special assembly.

The passing of the bill was led by CM M K Stalin, who had said that the entrance exam was biased against poor students, and was denied the chance to become doctors and seek a medical career to students coming from rural areas.

During his speech, the chief minister said, “NEET is an altar for sacrifice... it is like modern-day untouchability and has taken away several lives. There are several instances of irregularities. Before 90 percent of students from state board schools secured medical admission... this declined after NEET (which) discriminates on the basis of private coaching.”

Though the resolution to pass the NEET exemption bill in Tamil Nadu was unanimous, the BJP staged a walkout soon after the discussion for the same began. Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramaniam had also said that the NEET exam is only easy for those who can afford private coaching.

Slamming the governor's decision to reject the bill, the state health minister had said, “The Governor's responses were wrong. NEET is easy only for those who can afford private coaching... it is beyond the reach for those from poor, rural or marginalised communities.”

The DMK government, which is the ruling party in Tamil Nadu, believes that NEET favors students coming from a rich background, and promised to do away with the national entrance examination during its election campaign.