MK Stalin Urges PM Modi and Chief Ministers to Abolish NEET
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin Pushes for NEET Exemption
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has once again urged the central government to exempt the state from the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for medical college admissions and to eliminate the system nationwide.
In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, CM Stalin emphasized that the selection process for professional courses should be based on 12th standard marks rather than a separate entrance exam, which he described as an unnecessary additional stress on students.
Request for NEET Exemption
“In this regard, we passed a Bill unanimously in our Legislative Assembly to exempt Tamil Nadu from NEET and provide medical admissions based on 12th standard marks. This Bill has been sent for Presidential assent, but the assent is still pending,” Stalin mentioned in his letter.
Stalin also wrote to the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, seeking his support for Tamil Nadu’s demand for NEET exemption. He cited irregularities in the recent NEET exam as validation for the state’s opposition to the test. “Many other states have also started voicing their views on the need to do away with this selection process,” Stalin told the PM.
State-Level Support
The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly passed a unanimous resolution on Friday urging the Union Government to approve the Bill for exempting Tamil Nadu from NEET and to amend the National Medical Commission Act to eliminate this selection process at the national level.
Meanwhile, Stalin sent separate letters to the Chief Ministers of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Telangana, and West Bengal, urging them to consider passing similar resolutions in their assemblies to abolish NEET.
Appeal to State Leaders
“Considering the importance and seriousness of the issue, I request you to consider passing a similar resolution in your state Legislative Assembly to urge the Union Government to abolish the NEET exams in the interest of the students of our states,” Stalin wrote.
Call for Support from Rahul Gandhi
Stalin also wrote to Rahul Gandhi, highlighting the resolution passed in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. “The recent reports of irregularities in the examination conducted by the NTA have shattered the dreams of many hard-working aspirants of medical courses in the country. This system is also depriving rural poor youth of the opportunity to become medical graduates,” Stalin stated in his letter to Gandhi.
He pointed out that the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly passed a resolution urging the Centre to exempt it from the NEET examination and enclosed a copy of the same. “I request you to voice this concern and the demand of Tamil Nadu in the Parliament and also suggest to the states in the INDIA alliance to pass similar resolutions in their respective assemblies in the interest of the youth of the nation,” Stalin told Gandhi.
CM MK Stalin continues to push for significant changes to the medical admission process, advocating for the abolition of NEET to reduce student stress and ensure fairer access to medical education for all.