Chennai: Under tremendous pressure from students and parents, the Tamil Nadu Government is seriously considering bringing a state-specific ordinance to exempt students from the state appearing before NEET for two years – 2017 and 2018.
If all goes well and an Ordinance is brought finally, admissions to medical courses in Tamil Nadu would be based on the marks obtained by candidates in their Plus-2 exams. Highly placed sources told Deccan Chronicle that the state government was discussing the modalities and legal issues on bringing a state specific ordinance to the Central NEET Act.
“It is still being discussed. We are discussing and concentrating more on the legalities involved in the process,” a top source said. Another source confirmed that the Tamil Nadu Government and Central Ministries concerned have launched talks to explore the idea of bringing a state-specific ordinance like the one promulgated in January this year for conduct of jallikattu.
The government seems to be worried more about the legalities and want to bring a watertight ordinance that would be difficult to challenge in a cou-rt of law. But the state government is also apprehensive of the fact whet-her CBSE students in the state who have appeared for Neet would challenge the new ordinance.
The ordinance talk gained momentum after Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the NEET issue and called on Tamil Nadu Governor CH Vidyasagar Rao in the national capital. After the meeting, Mr Palaniswami said the Prime Minister promised to "consider the state's request."
After marathon discussions for the past two days during which a high-powered ministerial delegation from Tamil Nadu met several Ministers at the Centre, the two governments seemed to have agreed on a middle path - exemption for two years, during which the state would completely revamp its syllabus and prepare students.
The ordinance would propose exemption for Tamil Nadu from NEET for 2017 and 2018 and the state should prepare students to appear for the NEET in 2019, a source said.
The ordinance - once it is promulgated and signed into legislation by Governor CH Vidyasagar Rao - will be converted into law. Since the state-specific amendment the Assembly passed in February for NEET exemption is permanent in nature, the new ordinance is being thought of with a specific period for exemption from the exam.
