Ensure no agitation takes place over NEET: SC to TN govt

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Tamil Nadu government to ensure no law and order problem is created due to agitation by various groups or political parties following death of NEET challenger S Anitha.
 
The court also ordered the state Chief Secretary to ensure that those disturbing normal life are booked accordingly.

A three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice Dipak Misra passed its interim order on a PIL filed by advocate G S Mani.

He sought restraint order to the political parties from resorting to agitation against the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) or the Supreme Court judgement that had approved one examination for admission to the MBBS and BDS courses in medical colleges across the country.

Petititioner-Advocate sought direction from the court to the Tamil Nadu government to improve the state syllabus of class XI and XII to the CBSE standard so that the students do not suffer.
 

After hearing the petitioner, the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud ordered, "It shall be obligation of the state Chief Secretary to see that no law and problem takes place in relation to NEET that has been approved by the Constitution Bench."
 
17-year-old Anitha, a Dalit girl, scored 1176 out of 1200 marks in her class XII board examinations but was unable to join the MBBS course due to her poor marks in NEET. She ended her life in Ariyalur district on September 1. It was contended that she was one of the respondents in the petition filed in the apex court challenging validity of the NEET.
 
“The innocent girl has ended her life due to instigation by the political parties, their leaders and inaction by the state and the central governments,” Mani's petition claimed.
 
He stated in the petition that the fundamental rights of the Tamil Nadu students, studying state syllabus, are affected by the “arbitrary” exercise of the state government in not bringing it at par with the CBSE.
 
The petitioner urged the apex court to restrain political parties from provoking students and general public in holding protest, 'dharna' and 'rail roko' all over the state as the validity of the NEET was upheld by a five-judge Constitution bench. He said the purpose of the NEET is to select meritorious students and to prevent medical colleges to sell their seats to the highest bidders. He also demanded judicial probe into death of Anita.