The ‘Khela hoche’ of Tamil Nadu!

The Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution seeking to stop the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for their State’s students.  The Bill exempted all students aspiring for medicine, dentistry and homoeopathy. Only the BJP opposed the Bill, supported by all the parties. The State’s Bill must bear the stamp of assent by the President to become valid. Earlier all admissions to the State’s medical admissions were based on the Class XII Board examination results.

Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin, touted to protect the backward student communities from discrimination. Admission to medical colleges and NEET fall under List III of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, under Art 245, where the Centre and State both can frame laws. However, if there is a conflict of the State’s laws with the Centre’s, the Centre’s laws shall prevail.

State’s students are greatly disadvantaged ever since NEET exams have become the route for admission to medical colleges. Central board like CBSE students have been increasingly grabbing the seats. Armed with the Bill, Stalin will move the SC to exempt the students from his State from appearing in NEET.

The Supreme Court has already heard the matter and dismissed it, stating that any exemption from NEET could compromise the quality of intellect of the entrants to the medical admission.

There can be no denial that rural students are put to severe disadvantage with common entrance tests. Successive Tamil Nadu State Governments, led by MGR, Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa, have imposed and reversed common tests with a farcical regularity. The same party, which approves entrance tests as the ruling party, turns turtle to vehemently object while seated in the opposition.

The State Government thinks of tweaking laws and pushing the Centre to pass an ordinance as it did in Jallikattu, a bull-taming sport banned by the Supreme Court based on the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. The State amended the Act by an ordinance and obtained the approval of the Governor, assenting for the President.

More than the love for the suffering rural students, the corruption-steeped Dravidian party leaders own many hospitals and medical colleges. Capitation fees, often running into crores, have been snapped by the NEET entrance route, incurring huge losses for the political biggies.

To improve the quality of students appearing for the NEET exams must be the right path, rather than stoking emotions over periodical suicides of medical student aspirants. I wonder if any politician would dare getting admitted to a government hospital or a Rural Health Centre? The reasons are well known.

Sampath Kumar

Intrépide Voix