As the Tamil Nadu government’s anti-National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (NEET) bill awaits Presidential assent, Governor RN Ravi asserted today, Saturday, August 12, that he will never clear the bill, reports PTI.

The achievements without the National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (NEET) were not enough for the future, Ravi said, adding the qualifying test is here to stay.

"Look, I will be the last man to give clearance; never, ever. I do not want my children to feel intellectually disabled. I want our children to compete and be the best. They have proved it," he told PTI.

During an interaction with top NEET scorers in UG 2023 at the Raj Bhavan in Chennai when a parent sought for the governor's "clearance to ban NEET", the governor expressed his stance and clarified that he would never grant clearance to the bill.

"I am telling you very frankly, I will never give clearance to NEET (bill), let it be very clear. Anyway it has gone to the President because it is a subject of Concurrent List, it is a subject which only the President is competent to give clearance to," Ravi added.

He mentioned that the misconception that coaching centres are essential for success in medical entrance exams should be dispelled.

"Whatever is there in the CBSE book, nothing beyond is needed. Many students, I have seen cleared it, cleared it well without going to coaching institutions. The book they have prescribed — the CBSE book, that is a standard. If the standard is lower than that, don't blame that standard. Try to raise the standard," he said.

CBSE standard is "very good syllabus and NEET is not beyond that", Ravi added.

"Let there not be any confusion, NEET is going to stay in the country. I want my children to be competitive, to be the best in the country," he added.

Despite the TN Assembly's attempts for exemption from NEET, the governor remained steadfast in his position.