Meet to chalk out legal measures to wriggle out of NEET all set to be chaired by CM Stalin

CHENNAI: Resolving to sustain the legal efforts made by the Tamil Nadu government to secure exemption for the state from NEET, the meeting of all legislature parties chaired by Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday adopted a resolution to file a fresh case, if necessary, in the Supreme Court challenging the rejection of approval by the Union Government for the NEET exemption Bill passed by the State Assembly.

A resolution adopted unanimously to this effect at the meeting held at the state secretariat on Wednesday evening said it has been unanimously decided to undertake all legal measures, including vigorously advancing (read as pursuing) the case filed by Tamil Nadu against NEET in the apex Court in July 2023, in consultation with legal experts.

"Given the rejection of assent by the President for the NEET exemption Bill, the all-party meeting decides that the Tamil Nadu government must undertake continuous legal battle to secure exemption from NEET," said the resolution, which was read out in the meeting by deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin.

Earlier, making an opening statement at the meeting, the chief minister said, "NEET is not a kind of test that cannot be done away with. It is a test conducted by misguiding the Union government for the benefit of coaching centres and a selfish few. It is evident from the CBI cases being tried in various states that even that test was not conducted properly."

Enthused by Tuesday's SC verdict, clipping the wings of governors and setting time frame for assenting bills, a confident Stalin said, "Yesterday's verdict of the Supreme Court has inspired confidence. I am confident, if we sustain our legal battle without slackness, we can secure exemption from NEET."

Guv politicised NEET issue: Stalin

Seizing the opportunity to also train his guns on Governor R N Ravi, who publicly frowned up on the state legislature enacting the NEET exemption bill, Stalin recalled Raj Bhavan's treatment of the first such bill adopted in the State Assembly in late 2021, and said, "The governor must have reserved it for the President's consideration immediately back then. I would like to record here with agony that the governor, instead of discharging his Constitutional duty, started politicising it. However, we fought hard to secure assent for the Bill."

Leaders assure support

Meanwhile, leaders of the ruling alliance and also BJP ally PMK, who took part in the meeting, assured their support to all the efforts made by the state government, including legal battle for securing exemption from NEET. Wednesday's all-party meeting was announced by Stalin after the union government formally rejected assent to the NEET exemption Bill adopted in the State Assembly on February 8, 2022 and reserved for the consideration by the Governor later that May.