Stalin, also wrote to Prime Minister Modi, once again urging the Centre to exempt the state from NEET for admissions to medical colleges.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday, 28 June, wrote to his counterparts in the southern states, along with Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Punjab, and West Bengal requesting them to consider passing a resolution in their respective assemblies to abolish the NEET, similar to the one passed in Tamil Nadu Assembly.
“Considering the importance and seriousness of the issue, I request you to consider passing a similar resolution in your state Legislative Assembly also to urge the Union Government to abolish the NEET exams in the interest of the students of our states,” Stalin said in the letter.
Stalin, also wrote to Prime Minister Modi, once again urging the Centre to exempt the state from the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for admissions to medical colleges and also to do away with the system at the national level.
In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the exemption of NEET for the state, the chief minister said that the selection process for professional courses should only be through the 12th standard marks rather than through a separate entrance exam, which is an unwanted additional stress on students.
“In this regard, we had passed a Bill unanimously in our Legislative Assembly to exempt Tamil Nadu from NEET and to provide medical admissions based on 12th standard marks. This has been sent for Presidential assent but the assent is still pending,” Stalin said in the letter.
The irregularities during the recent NEET exam validated the state’s opposition to it, he said. “Many other states have also started voicing their views on the need to do away with this selection process,” the chief minister told the PM.
He also wrote to Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, seeking his support to Tamil Nadu’s demand for NEET exemption.
Further, he also wrote to Rahul Gandhi and mentioned about the resolution passed in the state Assembly.
“The recent reports of irregularities in the examination conducted by the NTA has shattered the dreams of many hard-working aspirants of medical courses in the country. This system is also depriving the rural poor youth to fulfil the dreams of becoming a medical graduate,” Stalin said in his letter to Gandhi.
He pointed out that the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly passed a resolution urging the Centre to exempt it from the NEET examination and enclosed a copy of the same.
“I request you to voice this concern and the demand of Tamil Nadu in the Parliament and also suggest to the states that are in the INDIA alliance to pass similar resolutions in the respective assemblies in the interest of the youth of the nation,” Stalin told Gandhi.
Pointing out the alleged scams in the conduct of NEET, the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly passed a unanimous resolution on Friday urging the Union Government to provide its assent to the Bill for exempting Tamil Nadu from NEET and also to amend the National Medical Commission Act to give up this selection process at the national level, he said.
The resolution, adopted by the House despite the BJP’s Opposition and walkout, called upon the Union government to amend the National Medical Commission Act and abolish the country-wide screening test taking into account the irregularities and increasing opposition to the test in several states, which toed Tamil Nadu’s line.
Stalin further referred to the letters written by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav to the Union government demanding scrapping of the NEET in the aftermath of irregularities in the conduct of the test.
“The voice of Tamil Nadu has now become the voice of the country,” he said and appealed to the members to support his resolution against NEET.
(With PTI inputs)
Jul 01, 2024
Jul 01, 2024
Jun 30, 2024
Jun 30, 2024
Jun 30, 2024
Jun 30, 2024
