Follow NEET, Tamil Nadu Told After Centre Says It Can't Get Exemption

New Delhi: Medical colleges in Tamil Nadu will have to use a national and common entrance exam as the only basis for admissions,  the Supreme Court said today, delivering a big setback for Tamil Nadu. The court said that all admissions for aspiring doctors have to be based on NEET (the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test). Tamil Nadu, which had sought exemption from being bound by NEET for this year, at least in government-funded colleges.    

It sought to circumvent the Supreme Court's ruling last year for a common medical test by issuing an executive order that exempted students from NEET -  the centre suggested it would back the move and the ordinance was  cleared by two ministries: Law and Human Resources Development.  But today, the centre said it could not support the ordinance, reportedly because it would encourage other states to ignore the call for a common entrance exam.

Tamil Nadu says that NEET gives an unfair advantage to students from schools that follow the CBSE or national board and makes it tough for students from rural areas to compete with those in cities for limited college seats. The state uses Class 12 marks to decide medical admissions.

Critics of the state government have alleged that it is opposing NEET to back private state board schools.