CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Assembly witnessed exchanges between the DMK and the AIADMK on Friday over education in concurrent list, during the debate on demands for grants for Backward classes and Minority welfare.
Replying to K Rathamani of the DMK, who said the Centre imposed NEET forcibly on Tamil Nadu and the State government should take necessary steps to improve the pass percentage of candidates in NEET and to get exemption from the examination, School Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan said, “The State government is constantly taking efforts to get exemption from NEET and we are conducting special coaching classes for Tamil Nadu students to improve their pass percentage in the exam” he said.
Minister for Handlooms and Textiles, OS Manian, intervened and said, “In 1976 during the Emergency the Union government took education from the State list and placed it in the concurrent list. Hence, the State government is unable to do anything on this. At the same time, the DMK was part of the Union government for 17 years and was holding powerful portfolios, but did nothing to bring back education to the State list. But, the AIADMK was fighting for State autonomy on education.”
On hearing his comments, the DMK members objected to Manian’s statement. K Ponmudi of the DMK said, “After 1976, the
AIADMK was in power in the State for 10 years and asked why it did not take steps to bring education back to the State list. We, the DMK, have spoken at various meetings in Delhi, when I was Education minister, to bring back education to State list” he countered.
Concurrent list
Minister OS Manian, said, “In 1976 the Centre took education from State list and placed it in the concurrent list. Hence, the State government is unable to do anything on this.”