A multi-party meeting here on Monday evening against the backdrop of a remark made by Union Minister of State for Commerce Nirmala Sitharaman said that the Centre would help Tamil Nadu to get exemption from National Eligibility cum-Entrance Test-based medical admission, decided to exert pressure on the Centre to apply the same yardstick to the students of the union territory.
The meeting chaired by Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy was attended by Ministers, MLAs, representatives from Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi. The Chief Minister shared with representatives of political parties the communication he had with Union ministers on NEET.
Meets MLAs, officials
Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister held a meeting with senior officials and Congress MLAs to chalk out a strategy in case Tamil Nadu was alone given exemption. He told reporters after the meeting that it would not be appropriate for the Centre to give exemption to Tamil Nadu alone when a similar demand was made by Puducherry.
Rebutting Union Minister of State for Highways and Shipping Pon. Radhakrishnan’s charge that the territorial administration failed to effectively press for NEET exemption, Mr. Narayanasamy said he had personally taken up the issue with Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda.
The Cabinet decision seeking exemption for the Union Territory from conducting NEET was made in 2016. Several representations were given to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Mr. Nadda seeking exemption from NEET.
In July this year, the Assembly had passed a resolution on NEET and was forwarded to Union Ministry of Home Affairs for presidential assent.
However, the Ministry had communicated to the government that medical admission had to be conducted based on NEET, the Chief Minister said.
Principal Opposition party the All India N.R. Congress, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Bharatiya Janata Party abstained from the meeting.
