Tamil Nadu's battle for exemption from the National Entrance and Eligibility Test, or NEET - the all-India entrance test for admission to medical courses - suffered a setback Friday after President Droupadi Murmu rejected a bill to exclude the state from its purview and allow it to use Class XII marks instead.
Chief Minister MK Stalin informed the Assembly of the rejection of a bill that was cleared twice by the state legislature - in 2021 and 2022 - and had been pending with the union government since.
In June last year the Assembly also passed, unanimously, a resolution urging the union government to scrap the NEET system and allow states to decide admission on school marks.
Responding to the rejection today, Mr Stalin - who has feuds with the BJP-led centre on at least two major issues, the delimitation exercise and the 'Hindi imposition' row, ahead of next year's election - said the southern state had been "insulted" and spoke of a "black phase in federalism".
"Despite the Tamil Nadu government providing all necessary clarifications... the union government has rejected the exemption from NEET," Mr Stalin said in the Assembly.
The Chief Minister then called on all legislature parties to meet to decide on the next steps. He said the struggle for exemption from NEET - made mandatory for admissions in 2017 - will continue.
The meeting of all MLAs will likely be on April 9, sources have said.
"The union government may have rejected Tamil Nadu's request... but our fight is far from over. We will consult legal experts on lawful measures we can take to challenge this decision," he also said.
The state's challenge to the NEET system is a long-running one.
The primary argument is that it benefits students from richer families and sections of society as they can better afford the intensive coaching and prep needed to pass the exam. Switching to using Class 12 marks as the admission criteria will, the state has argued, ensure social justice.
The furore over NEET also comes amid multiple controversies in recent years, including young people dying by suicide because they can't clear the exam and the leak of exam papers.
READ | 21-Year-Old NEET Aspirant Dies By Suicide, Opposition Slams DMK
Last year, for example, the Supreme Court heard petitions seeking a re-test, or cancellation, of the 2024 NEET-UG test after claims the question paper was leaked 45 minutes before the exam.
The court dismissed the petitions, saying the 'sanctity' of the exam was not breached.
READ | No NEET Re-Exam, Court Says "Can't Conclude Sanctity Breached"
And it is not just Tamil Nadu that is protesting against the current system.
In July last year Bengal joined the battle, passing a resolution against the exam. State Education Minister Bratya Basu said the ruling Trinamool had never been in favour of an all-India exam.
Other major opposition leaders, including the Congress' Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav, the leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal in poll-bound Bihar, have also spoken out on the NEET row.
With input from agencies
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