#NEET: “We dont want a single student to suffer”, Supreme Court

#NEET: “We dont want a single student to suffer”, Supreme Court

The hearing in the Supreme Court relating to the ordinance passed by the Tamil Nadu government to exempt the state from the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) this year has been deferred till Tuesday next week.

A Bench of Justices Dipak Misra, Amitava Roy and AM Khanwilkar was hearing a batch of petitions filed by students who had qualified NEET.

The students have challenged the ordinance, contending that they have already taken the all-India exam and their focus was not on board exams. Bringing in the ordinance to exempt the state from NEET would adversely affect their prospects, they have submitted.

Senior Counsel CU Singh, appearing for petitioners submitted,

“We concentrated on NEET and not Board exams. 33,000 students have qualified NEET. They will suffer if ordinance is framed.”

However, the respondents stated that this issue had already been discussed by the Court last year and it had rejected the argument.

“This argument was addressed last year and rejected by this court”, said Senior Counsel Vikas Singh appearing for MCI.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Union government told the court that the Law Ministry has cleared the ordinance promulgated by Tamil Nadu and it might be passed on Monday or Tuesday.

The Bench observed that a balance has to be struck between the interests of students from rural background, who cannot compete with CBSE students in NEET and those students who have cleared the exam.

“How do you strike a balance between rural students and those students who have cleared NEET? We don’t want a single student to suffer.”, remarked Justice Dipak Misra.

The Court then deferred the matter till Tuesday, while directing that the status quo be maintained till then. It also asked the parties to work out a “balancing situation”, wherein interests of all students are protected.

The case will now be heard at 3 pm on Tuesday next week.

Loading content, please wait...
Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news
www.barandbench.com