Chief Minister Palanisamy urges PM Modi to expedite Presidential assent to NEET bills

The Tamil Nadu Admissions to Post Graduate Courses in Medicine and Dentistry Bill, 2017, and the Tamil Nadu Admissions to MBBS and BDS Courses Bill, 2017, given the Presidential nod, would exempt the state students from appearing for NEET. 

“I would like to draw your kind attention to the need for expeditious assent of the two bills passed unanimously by the Legislative Assembly for protecting the existing admission policy for under graduate and post graduate admissions in government medical and dental colleges. These bills were reserved by the Governor for obtaining the assent of the President under Article 254(2) of the Constitution. This assent will enable the state to continue its existing fair and transparent system of admission to medical colleges and dental colleges,” Palanisamy stated. 

The Chief Minister’s letter further detailed the legalities of the issue. Claiming that while the state government was going in appeal against the single judge order of the High Court, it was now clear that to continue the present system of admission to post graduate courses in medicine and dentistry with statutory backing in the coming academic year, the two bills unanimously passed by the Assembly to protect the present state policy of admission to government medical and dental colleges under the state quota had to be expeditiously given assent to. 

“The assurances given by the Government of India, which have also been indicated in the NEET post graduate bulletin, that there will be no interference with the state government’s policy, except for the NEET examination, have not been adhered to. Alternatively, the MCI’s post graduate medical education regulations must be amended to incorporate the state policy as contained in the proposed bill awaiting Presidential assent,” the Chief Minister added. 

The letter has been written on the day when several doctors and groups in the state protested the common entrance test for medical students. 

The Chief Minister, while talking to media persons, said that the state would start additional works estimated at Rs 100 crore to ensure continuous supply of drinking water.