'Dark chapter in federalism', says CM Stalin as president withholds assent to Tamil Nadu's NEET bill

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday informed the Assembly that President Droupadi Murmu had the state’s bill seeking exemption from the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, The Times of India reported.

Stalin said that the rejection of the bill was a “dark chapter in federalism”.

The chief minister alleged that the Union government was ignoring the will of the people of Tamil Nadu and a decision taken unanimously by the Assembly.

“Despite the Tamil Nadu government furnishing all necessary clarifications through various ministries, the Union government has now rejected the exemption from NEET,” he told the Assembly.

NEET is a qualifying test for undergraduate courses in medical and dental colleges across India. It is conducted by the National Testing Agency.

In , the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a bill introduced by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government seeking to exempt students in the state from NEET. The bill proposed that admission of students to medical courses be carried out based on Class 12 examination results.

Tamil Nadu has been opposing the examination on the grounds that the entrance test, based on a Central Board of Secondary Education syllabus who follow a different curriculum.

The governor declined to give his assent to the bill after which the Assembly adopted the bill...