Health Minister C. Vijaya Baskar on Tuesday told the Assembly that there was still a chance to secure a favourable decision from the High Court on implementing the Government Order allotting 85% of the medical seats in Tamil Nadu to State Board students and 15% for CBSE students.
Responding to Opposition leader M.K. Stalin’s allegation that the advocate who appeared on behalf of the State government during a recent hearing had failed to convince the court about the vast difference between the syllabuses followed by State Board and CBSE students, the Minister argued that the Advocate General (AG) had argued the case for half a day although he was not well.
“Nothing has come to an end. A single judge has stayed the order and we have filed an appeal. There is still a chance to get a favourable order. Efficient and senior lawyers will argue the case. Moreover, the Chief Minister has directed me to go to New Delhi, along with the Health Secretary, to exert pressure on the Centre regarding NEET,” he said.
“The government had consulted legal experts before issuing the order as it wanted to ensure that the order didn’t result in the dilution of the two Bills [seeking exemption from NEET] adopted in the Assembly, which are awaiting the presidential nod,” the Minister explained.
“Even though CBSE students constitute just 5% of those who appeared for NEET, the government allotted an additional 10% seats to them to dissuade them from going to court,” he said.
While many had expressed concern over the plight of State board students, none came forward to support the government in court, he said, adding, “On the contrary, the wife of a Congress leader argued in favour of the CBSE students.”
‘Issue being politicised’
He also rejected Mr. Stalin’s allegation that the State government had not brought adequate pressure to bear on the Centre to secure the presidential nod for the Bills seeking to exempt Tamil Nadu from NEET, saying Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami had raised the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on multiple occasions.
“NEET was introduced on the basis of a Supreme Court order. Some leaders are politicising the issue and using it as a subject for their daily statements. But we are fighting with a committed heart,” he said.
