BJP State secretary K. Nagarajan has contended in the Madras High Court that an “unwanted drama” was being enacted by the State government now by constituting Justice A.K. Rajan committee, to study the impact of NEET on socially and economically backward class students, knowing fully well of its futility especially when the Supreme Court itself had approved the national level test.
He said NEET for medical admissions was implemented first when DMK was part of the United Progressive Alliance-led Central government in 2012.
According to him, he had chosen to challenge the constitution of the committee, by way of a public interest litigation petition, “to prevent a subversion of the federal structure of our Constitution and the law laid down by the Supreme Court.” Mr. Nagarajan also accused Justice Rajan, heading the nine member committee, of being prejudiced against the conduct of NEET.
“On a deeper research, I have found that the Chairman (of the committee) had also addressed against constitutionality of NEET in a speech delivered at Periyar Thidal in Chennai on February 27, 2018. The contents of the speech are widely available in the public domain and they speak for themselves. It does not require divine wisdom to conclude that the committee headed by this gentleman is farcical,” Mr. Nagarajan said.
The submissions were made in a counter affidavit filed, through his counsel V. Raghavachari, to an impleading petition filed by DMK opposing his PIL petition. He said that it was for the State government to defend itself in the case filed by him against the constitution of the committee and not for the ruling party to come to its aid.
“It would be wiser if the administration identifies itself for the common good instead of adopting narrow mindedness and confronting attitude as against the Union,” the counter affidavit read. The litigant also took a dig at a host of others such as Dravidar Kazhagam, MDMK, CPI and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi for having filed impleading petitions.
“The object of getting a common entrance examination was to obviate the corruption that was then prevailing in matters of administration... It is a known secret that medical seats were sold by various institutions. In fact, some of the political parties are engineered to voice against NEET only by such institutions. Less said on this subject is better,” the affidavit read.
The litigant also claimed that NEET had only enhanced quality of medical education and promoted merit. He claimed that more number of students from socially and economically weaker sections had got admitted in medical colleges ever since 2017 when admissions were made based on NEET. He claimed that even the performance of first year medical students had improved in the last four years.
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