Puducherry AIADMK MLAs stage walkout over Neet

Puducherry: Members of AIADMK on Friday staged a walkout from Puducherry Assembly as the Speaker denied them permission to a notice of adjournment motion to discuss admission of students in medical colleges based on National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (Neet) in the Union Territory.

The notice was given by AIADMK legislator party leader A. Anbazhagan who said details of students from Puducherry who appeared for the examination and passed were not available and how management seats in private medical colleges were  to be filled in the absence of directions by government or Medical Council.

Replying, the Chief Minister admitted details of students were not available  and no clear guidelines were received from the Centre regarding the mode of admission other than notice stating there should be a joint counselling and government officials should also be there during counseling.

“The administration is making efforts to get proper clarification from the Centre in the admission issue and once it is received, I will give a proper reply in the House,” the Chief Minister said. He also said the government had sought for details from CBSE about students from Puducherry who appeared for Neet.

When health minister Malladi Krishna Rao rose to make further clarification after the Chief Minister’s reply, AIADMK members interrupted the speech.

Intervening, Anbazhagan asked the minister how he could seek for 10 per cent seats when details of students who appeared for the examination were not available as per the Chief Minister’s statement.

When ministers and Congress legislators came in support of Rao, the House witnessed noisy scenes.

Speaker V. Vaithilingam said members could not get a reply if they continued to intervene.  As the Speaker invited Congress member Anantharaman to table his special mention,  AIADMK members staged a walkout.