Tamil Nadu Governor sends anti-NEET Bill to Centre

Ministry of Home Affairs tells Lok Sabha that it sought clarification from Tamil Nadu Government on the Bill

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that clarification has been sought from the Tamil Nadu Government on a Bill that seeks to dispense with National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) for admissions in medical colleges in the State.

Responding to a question by S. Venkatesan, Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra said in a written reply that the ‘The Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Medical Degree Courses Bill, 2021’, reserved by the Governor of Tamil Nadu, for consideration and assent of the President of India was received in the Ministry on May 2. 

Also read: NEET takers in Tamil Nadu to get calls from counsellors

The reply stated that as per practice, Bills reserved by the Governors of States are processed in the Ministry in consultation with the nodal Central Ministries and Departments. Accordingly, the consultation process with nodal Central Ministries/Departments concerned with the Bill was initiated.

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Ministry of AYUSH furnished their ‘comments’ on the Bill which have been shared with the government of Tamil Nadu on June 21 and June 27 respectively for their comments and clarifications.

“The consultation process in such cases takes time and therefore no fixed time can be prescribed for such approval,” the reply said. 

On February 8, a special session of the Tamil Nadu Assembly ‘unanimously’ re-adopted the Bill. The Bill, previously adopted last September, was recently returned by Governor R.N. Ravi.