Tamil Nadu Health Minister K Arunraj on Tuesday moved a special resolution in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly seeking the abolition of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for medical admissions, arguing that the examination runs counter to social justice, equality, and the rights of states, as reported by IANS.
Moving the resolution, Arunraj said, "The Tamil Nadu government's position is that the opportunity to become a doctor should be available not only based on economic status, but to everyone who has the ability and merit," he said.
He said Tamil Nadu follows an education system based on social justice and has an excellent healthcare infrastructure. According to Arunraj, the present NEET system provides an additional advantage to students from economically well-off backgrounds, while private coaching centres benefit from the examination.
“NEET provides an additional advantage to students from economically well-off backgrounds. It is once again increasing economic inequalities,” he said.
Arunraj clarified that Tamil Nadu is “not against national standards” or transparency, but said the state cannot accept any system or examination that affects social justice and reduces equality. He also expressed concern over incidents in which students have lost their lives.
The minister said the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has already passed several resolutions seeking exemption from NEET, and that the House had unanimously passed and sent the necessary Bills. However, he noted that the President has not given assent to the Bill seeking exemption for the state from NEET for undergraduate medical admissions.
Referring to the NEET question paper leak on May 3, Arunraj said the examination was cancelled and subsequently conducted again. He also said a new task force was constituted to restructure the examination system following continued protests.
At the NITI Aayog meeting, Chief Minister Joseph Vijay raised the issue of NEET exemption and stressed that state governments should be given the authority to regulate medical student admissions.
Arunraj proposed that education be shifted from the Concurrent List to the State List, or that an additional special list be created within the Concurrent List.
"This is a demand concerning the future of Tamil Nadu's students; it is not a politically motivated demand," he added.
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He appealed to all members of the Assembly to unanimously pass the resolution, seeking that medical admissions be conducted by the State Government based on students' Class 12 marks.
"I propose this resolution seeking that medical admissions be conducted by the State Government based on the marks obtained by students in Class 12," Arunraj concluded.
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