M K Stalin demands immediate exemption of Tamil Nadu from NEET

Raking up the faulty translation of National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test question papers, DMK president M K Stalin Wednesday accused BJP-led NDA government of meting out "step-motherly" treatment to regional languages and demanded immediate exemption of Tamil Nadu from the NEET.

In a statement, the leader of opposition in the Tamil Nadu assembly said though NEET could be written in regional languages, errors in translation discouraged students from taking up the test.

"...it is also gradually undermining the importance of regional languages," he said, adding that the "step-motherly" treatment meted out by BJP-government is taking a toll on dreams of students from Tamil Nadu," he said.

Stalin reiterated that the ruling-AIADMK should pressure the Centre to get the President's assent for Bills that was passed in the state assembly.

"Before the next NEET notification is announced, the state government and Centre must get President's assent to the legislation," he said.

In February 2017, the state government had passed two bills seeking to exempt the state from the purview of NEET and to ensure the continuation of admissions to medical and dental courses based on 12th standard marks.

Another bill sought to admit students to post-graduate courses in medical and dental courses based on qualifying exam instead of an entrance exam.

(With inputs from agencies.)