The Supreme Court on Tuesday, January 2, 2024 refused to intervene against a students’ signature campaign announced by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the ruling party of Tamil Nadu, against the conduct of NEET in the State, saying the current generation is smart enough to see through the motive and agenda behind such moves.
“Fortunately, we now have a very informed generation. Our children are not so innocent. They understand everything and are far ahead of our generation. They understand the motive, the agenda and how it all happens,” Justice Surya Kant, heading a Bench also comprising Justice K.V. Viswanathan, observed orally.
Advocate M.L. Ravi, president of Desiya Makkal Sakthi Katchi and petitioner, said this was a case of the “ruling party taking advantage of children politically”.
But the court remained unimpressed, saying “do not raise these kinds of pleas in PILs… the campaign is not going to affect anything. This kind of all India test has to be held. That is policy”.
The petitioner said Tamil Nadu Minister Udayanithi Stalin had announced the signature campaign against the conduct of NEET exams. Mr. Stalin had announced the collection of 50 lakh signatures of students in 50 days.
“There is no permission obtained from parents to take the signature of the students. By this act, students get disturbed and later they may have to face the NEET exams. The students may get depressed and end up in mental agony and spoil their career,” the petition had said.
