CEHNNAI: A fresh Centre-state flashpoint has broken out over President Droupadi Murmu withholding assent to Tamil Nadu's bill seeking admission to MBBS courses in the state's medical colleges on the basis of Class XII marks and not NEET scores. Calling it an "authoritarian act" of Centre, CM M K Stalin said on Friday that a meeting of legislative parties would be held on April 9 to discuss the next step. The bill, initially passed in Sept 2021, was re-adopted in Feb 2022 after governor R N Ravi returned it.
Announcing this in the state assembly on Friday, chief minister M K Stalin said: "Such an authoritarian act of the Union govt that insults the dignity of the legislature, is a black chapter in the history of cooperative federalism."
Stalin vowed to continue the fight against NEET, and announced that a meeting of representatives of legislative parties would be held on April 9 to discuss the next step. Legal experts would also be consulted over further action, he said.
The bill, initially passed in Sept 2021 and re-adopted by the assembly in Feb 2022 after being returned by governor R N Ravi, proposed to allow the state to conduct admissions to undergraduate medical courses based on class 12 marks, rather than NEET scores.
The CM said the Union govt rejected the bill, disregarding sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu, despite the state govt providing clarifications over concerns raised by various central ministries, including health, AYUSH, home and higher education.
A committee led by Justice (retd) A K Rajan was formed to examine the issue and suggest an alternate admission system, given the consensus among the people and political parties that NEET favoured well-off urban students who had access to private coaching.
Following the committee's recommendations, the Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Medical Degree Courses Bill was initially passed in Sept 2021.
The governor returned it for reconsideration, following which the bill was re-adopted in the assembly and sent to the Union govt for President's assent.
Stalin alleged that after the introduction of NEET, medical education had become inaccessible to students from rural and poor backgrounds, who could not afford expensive coaching. He highlighted the potential negative effects of NEET on medical services in rural and backward areas.
Announcing this in the state assembly on Friday, chief minister M K Stalin said: "Such an authoritarian act of the Union govt that insults the dignity of the legislature, is a black chapter in the history of cooperative federalism."
Stalin vowed to continue the fight against NEET, and announced that a meeting of representatives of legislative parties would be held on April 9 to discuss the next step. Legal experts would also be consulted over further action, he said.
The bill, initially passed in Sept 2021 and re-adopted by the assembly in Feb 2022 after being returned by governor R N Ravi, proposed to allow the state to conduct admissions to undergraduate medical courses based on class 12 marks, rather than NEET scores.
The CM said the Union govt rejected the bill, disregarding sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu, despite the state govt providing clarifications over concerns raised by various central ministries, including health, AYUSH, home and higher education.
A committee led by Justice (retd) A K Rajan was formed to examine the issue and suggest an alternate admission system, given the consensus among the people and political parties that NEET favoured well-off urban students who had access to private coaching.
Following the committee's recommendations, the Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Medical Degree Courses Bill was initially passed in Sept 2021.
The governor returned it for reconsideration, following which the bill was re-adopted in the assembly and sent to the Union govt for President's assent.
Stalin alleged that after the introduction of NEET, medical education had become inaccessible to students from rural and poor backgrounds, who could not afford expensive coaching. He highlighted the potential negative effects of NEET on medical services in rural and backward areas.
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