Chennai: The BJP on Tuesday opposed the Tamil Nadu Assembly resolution seeking the abolition of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical admissions in the state, with party spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy asserting that the examination has benefited poor and rural students.
Speaking to ANI, Thirupathy said the state government should take its concerns before the Supreme Court, as the examination framework was introduced following the court's direction.
"As far as NEET is concerned, whatever they want to make, let them submit to the Supreme Court because NEET has been framed only in the direction of the Supreme Court," Thirupathy said.
He also recalled the earlier legal proceedings surrounding the implementation of NEET in Tamil Nadu, saying that even when the examination was introduced, the Centre had approached the Supreme Court seeking additional time for the state.
"Even in Tamil Nadu, long back when NEET came, even the central government went to the Supreme Court and supported Tamil Nadu, saying, they need one more year. But the Supreme Court refused," he said.
Thirupathy argued that NEET had improved access to medical education for students from government schools and rural backgrounds.
"Before NEET, how many government school students qualified for medical education? Now, in the last seven or eight years, how many people are qualifying every year for medical education from government schools? NEET has helped poor rural school students," he said.
The BJP's opposition came as the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution seeking the abolition of NEET, with the DMK, AIADMK, Congress, PMK, DMDK, Left parties and other smaller parties extending support. The BJP's lone MLA staged a walkout opposing the resolution.
Tamil Nadu Health Minister K Arunraj moved the resolution, arguing that NEET was against social justice, equality and the rights of states. The state government has maintained that the examination places students from rural and economically weaker backgrounds at a disadvantage and increases dependence on expensive coaching centres.
BJP MLA M Bhojarajan also opposed the resolution, saying NEET provides opportunities to Tamil Nadu students.
"The Central Government wants NEET. I acknowledge that a lapse occurred which needs to be rectified, and such incidents must not happen in the future. Our Education Minister has taken moral responsibility for this... he has resigned from his ministerial post, a step hardly anyone else would take," Bhojarajan said.
He also criticised the Opposition's approach to examination-related controversies, alleging that paper leaks had occurred during previous Congress governments.
"Paper leaks occurred several times during the earlier Congress regime as well, yet no one created an uproar in Parliament. The situation is very different this time; the Opposition did not discuss NEET or the paper leak itself but instead insisted that the Minister must resign. So, their motive--their intention--is something else entirely," he said.
The Tamil Nadu government has proposed that undergraduate medical admissions be based on Class 12 marks instead of NEET, while the BJP has argued for strengthening coaching and support mechanisms for students rather than abolishing the common entrance examination.
This report was published from a wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.