NEET: Tamil Nadu Moves Supreme Court, Challenges Validity of Single Window Medical Admission Test

NEET Exam Update: The Tamil Nadu government has moved the Supreme Court challenging the validity of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Examination (NEET) for admissions in medical courses in colleges across the nation.

NEET Exam: Following the Anti-NEET Ban in Tamil Nadu, the State government has now moved the Supreme Court (SC), the apex court, challenging the validity of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Examination (NEET) for admissions in medical courses in colleges across the nation, alleging that the single window common test is violative of the principle of federalism.

Principle of Federalism being violated by Examinations like NEET

In a lawsuit, filed under Article 131 of the Constitution, the state government has alleged that the principle of federalism, which is part of the basic structure of the Constitution, is being violated by examinations like NEET as it takes away the autonomy of states to make decisions regarding education. The plea, filed through lawyer Amit Anand Tiwari, said the validity of NEET was upheld in 2020 by the apex court on grounds that it was required to curb the evil of unfair practises such as granting admission based on paying capacity of candidates, charging capitation fee, large-scale malpractices, exploitation of students, profiteering, and commercialisation, news agency PTI reported.

However, such grounds are not applicable in the case of admissions to government seats and the reasoning of the judgment is applicable only to private college seats, it added, adding the verdict upholding the NEET does not bind a state in so far as admissions to government seats are concerned.

The suit seeks a decree “declaring that Sections 14 of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Act, 2020 and the National Commission of Homeopathy Act, 2020, Regulations 9 and 9A of the Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000, Regulations I(2), I(5) and II of the BDS Course Regulations, 2007 respectively are violative of Article 14 of the Constitution, violate federalism and therefore void”.

All You Need to Know About the NEET exam

The NEET is a pre-medical entrance test conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) for admissions in undergraduate medical courses such as MBBS and BDS. The examination is also held for admission into post-graduate courses in government and private medical colleges. The Tamil Nadu government passed the NEET exemption bill for the second time in February 2022. The bill was first passed in September 2021 seeking an exemption to the state from the ambit of the NEET.

(With Inputs From PTI)