Union Ministers avoid direct responses to DMK Rajya Sabha MP’s questions

Union Ministers avoid direct responses to questions on NEET exemption Bill and appointment of judges, violating Rajya Sabha rules.

Two Union Ministers have avoided giving direct responses to certain questions raised by DMK Rajya Sabha MP P. Wilson in the recently.

Mr. Wilson had asked two specific questions on the NEET. He sought to know if any clarification / report sought with regard to the Bill seeking exemption from NEET for Tamil Nadu is pending approval and the details of the same. And, whether the Union Government has considered approving the NEET exemption Bill and if, not, the reasons for it.

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Bharati Pravin Pawar, who replied to these questions on February 6, avoided a direct response. Instead, she merely stated the fact that as per the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019, all admission to medical degree programmes in all institutions in the country are to be done on the basis of the NEET UG/PG. The Minister also hailed the NEET as a “historic reform promoting meritocracy” and providing opportunity to meritorious students to get admission in the best medical institutions in the country. The NEET also resulted in curbing malpractices in medical admissions.

She did not respond to the query on whether the Union government considered granting approval to the NEET exemption Bill adopted by the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Likewise, to another question on whether the Government had taken steps to address Tamil Nadu’s concern on the NMC’s notification restricting new medical colleges and additional seats in existing colleges, she stated the NMC guidelines of August 2023, which provided for 100 MBBS seats per 10 lakh population in a State/UT, has been suspended up to the academic year 2024-25.

The MP got a similar ambiguous response from Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on February 8 to a question on whether the request of the Supreme Court Collegium for appointment of judges has been withheld without any justification even after repeated resolution passed to appoint certain names. He also wanted to know if recommendations for subsequent appointment has been approved but some names especially in respect of Madras High Court and in various other High Courts are withheld without any justification, if so, the reasons for it.

The Minister had merely explained the procedure and process of appointment of judges and did not get into specifics.