Chennai, 4 April (H.S.) : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has announced that the Central government has declined consent for the state’s anti-NEET bill.

This decision comes after the state assembly passed the Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Medical Degree Courses Bill, 2021, which aimed to exempt the state from the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and allow admissions to medical courses based on Class 12 marks.

The bill was sent to the Governor, who returned it to the state government, citing the Supreme Court decision that upheld NEET. The state assembly then readopted the bill and sent it to the President.

Stalin has been vocal about his opposition to NEET, arguing that it undermines the state’s autonomy in medical admissions and disproportionately affects students from rural and disadvantaged backgrounds.

The controversy surrounding NEET has been ongoing, with several states, including Tamil Nadu, opposing the exam. The state government has argued that NEET is not an ideal way to select candidates for medical courses, as it favors students who can afford coaching and undermines societal diversity.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary