The Tamil Nadu government has filed a fresh writ petition in the Supreme Court challenging the constitution validity of National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).
Last year the Union government amended the Medical Council of India Act and the Dental Council of India Act, making NEET a mandatory and the sole criteria for admitting students to medical and dental courses in the country.
The petition filed states that NEET is against the welfare of students from rural backgrounds in Tamil Nadu and provides instances by which NEET has adversely affected a major share of students in the state.
The government of Tamil Nadu has also stated that the number of repeaters who have been giving NEET for the second or third time and cracking the exam has increased over time. This has further created obstacles for students hailing from rural and underprivileged background.
The Tamil Nadu government’s decision to move the Supreme Court with a writ petition has received criticism from the opposition. DMK chief and leader of opposition MK Stalin has accused the Palaniswami led-government of staying silent and filing a petition just two days before the closing of applications.
“Edappadi Palaniswami has knocked the doors of the Supreme Court in a day-drama to hide his government’s failure to get Presidential assent to two bills passed in the state assembly against NEET,” the DMK statement said.