NEWS : Governor of Tamilnadu has forwarded the NEET exemption Bill to the Union Home Ministry to be sent to the President of India for his assent

WHAT IS NEET

• Stands for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test
• Single-level national exam carried out for medical aspirants enabling them to seek admissions to medical courses across different medical institutes of the country
• Carried out by NTA (National Testing Agency) every year under the guidance of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

WHAT IS THE BILL

• Exempts medical aspirants in Tamil Nadu from taking NEET examination for admission to UG degree courses in Indian medicine, dentistry and homeopathy
• Seeks to provide admission to such courses on the basis of marks obtained in the qualifying examination, through “Normalization methods”
• Aims to ensure social justice, uphold equality and equal opportunity, protect all vulnerable student communities from being discriminated”

WHY IS TN OPPOSING NEET

• NEET undermined the diverse societal representation in MBBS
• Favored mainly the affordable and affluent sections of the society
• Not a fair or equitable method of admission
• Rural and urban poor may not be able to pursue medical courses

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

• Admissions to medical courses are traceable to entry 25 of Concurrent List, Schedule VII of the Constitution. Hence state is proposing the bill
• However if centre overrides the bill, it comes to end
• The question is whether the State government can exempt Section 10D of the IMC Act, which is a parliamentary law that falls under the Central List (Entry 66). Presidential assent is on his discretion

OPTIONS FOR PRESIDENT ON BILLS RESERVED BY GOVERNOR

• Give his assent to the bill, or
• Withhold his assent to the bill, or
• Direct the governor to return the bill (if it is not a money bill) for reconsideration of the state legislature.
• It should be noted here that it is not obligatory for the President to give his assent even if the bill is again passed by the state legislature and sent again to him for his consideration.