The Anti-NEET bill of the Tamil Nadu government was sent back to the Speaker of the assembly by the Governor RN Ravi on February 1, 2022. Ever since the bill was sent back, the DMK government has been blaming and accusing the Governor for the act while Article 200 of the Constitution has vested the Governor with the power to resend a bill to the Assembly for reconsideration.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu BJP has been asking the DMK government to publish a white paper on medical college admissions in the state and also give a point by point clarification on the points raised by the Governor. However, the state’s Health Minister Ma Subramaniam had said that the Governor did not ask any questions in the response that he had sent. Now, the original copy of the letter has been released, and the Governor has asked some valid questions in his reply.
Speaking about the AK Rajan committee’s report, the Governor had written, “I find the report utterly unconvincing for the following reasons: A. The report is based on several unsubstantiated sweeping assumptions he said pointing out how the report had mentionedd that ‘NEET is directionless’, ‘NEET is anti-merit’, etc.
He had then continued, “According to the report, NEET is heavily biased in favour of Physics, Chemistry and Biology instead of being open to test ‘all possible knowledge’ as in the State Board Examinations. It is beyond argument that the Medical profession is a highly specialised discipline of Science, in which a reasonably sound knowledge of the basics of Physics, Chemisty and Biology is a pre-requisite. The Report taking adverse note of tests in these essential subjects and instead introducing an undefined concept of ‘all possible knowledge’ appears bizarre and without merit.”
Speaking about the poor quality of education in the state’s government schools, the Governor had written, “Statistics cited in the Report show that in the pre-NEET years only some 30-38 students (hardly 1%) from the Government schools, were able to get admissions in Government Medical Colleges. It reflects the sorry state of affairs in the Government Schools which cater mostly to the poor students. Ignoring this crucial fact coming in the way of social justice the Report instead goes off the tangent and blames NEET.”
Writing about coaching, “The Report argues against NEET on the ground that it is against social justice as it allegedly favours the rich students who take the advantage of coaching, which the poor cannot afford. However, it totally ignores the fact that coaching skews the State Board results also.
It is apparent from the above facts that the Report merely reflects the jaundiced view of the High Level Committee.”
The Governor had quoted the Christian Medical College Vellore Association vs The Union of India (2020) case, where the Supreme Court upheld that NEET is not against Social Justice and that it will help improve medical education. He then wrote, “When the Hon’ble Supreme Court has found NEET to be in the national interest and also for the protection of the weaker section of society, will it be open for the State government to seek an exemption from NEET, particularly in view of the fact that the same has been held to be mandatory and applicable across the country?”
Read the full letter in the tweet below.
TN Health Minister said Governor did not send any questions to TN Govt. while sending back Anti-NEET Bill. But it has been sent dated 1st February, 2022. Here’s the copy.
Lies after Lies. Distortion after Distortion. Fabrication after Fabrication defines #CMStalin led #DMK Govt. pic.twitter.com/4yepq2u7Bs
— SG Suryah (@SuryahSG) February 8, 2022
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