The Tamil Nadu government, the Supreme Court today asked the state to follow National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) after the Centre said the state cannot be exempted. The apex court also directed the Tamil Nadu government to start counselling process immediately and finish it by September 4.

A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra was hearing a plea filed by six students seeking a direction to the state government to conduct counselling for the medical seats solely on the basis of the merit list prepared on the basis of NEET marks.The attorney general has said that the ordinance, sent by the Tamil Nadu government on the exemption of NEET, is not good in law.

Tamil Nadu has been against the implementation of NEET

common medical exam as it argued that the test favours CBSE students over other state boards. Also, students from rural parts and belonging to weaker sections would lose seats in the medical colleges.

The health ministry’s contended that if Tamil Nadu’s demand for exemption will be accept then other states will have similar demands too.

The Tamil Nadu government has twice sent the ordinance to get an exemption. The ordinance was cleared by both the law and the Human Resource Development ministries. However, when it came to the health ministry, it was referred back to the attorney general KK Venugopal with some additional facts and past judgements of the apex court on the issue. It was in response to these additional facts that the A-G has revised his opinion, say top government sources.

NEET was  mandatory last year for admission in medical and dental colleges across India.

Also read: CBSE NEET 2016 phase 1 and 2 answer keys released at aipmt.nic.in