CHENNAI: A writ plea has been filed in the Madras High Court to quash the provisional merit list dated last August 23 of the selection committee for admission of students to MBBS/BDS courses for 2017-18.
Justice K Ravichandra Baabu, before whom the petition from D Vignaya of Pudukottai came up for hearing on Friday, granted a week’s time to the Government Pleader to get instructions on the petition, which also prayed for a direction to the committee to notify fresh merit list as per the norms of nativity of the TN Medical Selection Procedures and the ones prescribed by the Supreme Court.
According to the petitioner, she belongs to a de-notified community. She had appeared for NEET and secured 206 on 720. She obtained the application and the prospectus, issued on the basis of TN Admissions to MBBS and BDS Courses Bill 2017 and applied under the government quota. She received a letter for counselling on August 29 last. She, however, was not selected.
The petitioner contended that there were discrepancies in the rank list. The government quota is meant for the students who are native of Tamil Nadu, whereas the rank list contained students from outside Tamil Nadu.
She also said students who were selected and got admission under the all-India quota were not eligible to get admissions in the medical counselling as per the orders of Supreme Court. A perusal of the allotment list for 2017-18 in respect of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry showed that the students who had been already admitted in the deemed universities have been allotted admission. She has come across 144 such cases so far.
The authorities had miserably failed to compare the various State rank lists and eliminate those candidates whose names were found in the lists of other states. Hence the rank list published was arbitrary and contrary to the Article 14 of Constitution and against principles of natural justice, the petitioner contended.
War of words over suicide
The Centre is fully responsible for the tragedy. Despite having the duty to advise the students against ending their lives, grief brims when thinking that thousands of students must have been broken like Anitha - Vaiko, general secretary, MDMK
Health minister Vijaya Baskar and Nirmala Seetharaman (resigned from Union Cabinet) are responsible for her suicide. The persons concerned must quit; if they fail to do so, we will resort to protests
- S Thirunavukkarasar, president, TN Congress
Suicide cannot be a remedy for any problem. We all have the duty to fight when the rights are denied. People should resolve to fight for TN’s rights and protect the future of student community
G Ramakrishnan, State secretary, CPM
The Centre and the State should take responsibility for pushing Anitha to take the extreme step. The bereaved family must be protected. The government must offer them support
R Mutharasan, State secretary, CPI
I am unable to understand why she took such a decision even after taking the fight to Supreme Court. The society must feel ashamed of (it). The government should offer counselling for those who could not clear NEET- Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, MP (PMK)
We cannot believe it is a suicide. It is nothing but a sacrifice offered by Edappadi (Palaniswami) to (Prime Minister) Modi who thrust NEET - T Velmurugan, leader, Tamilar Vazhvurimai Katchi (TVK)
Health Minister Vijaya Baskar must take responsibility and resign from his post because he has been giving false hope of getting exemption from NEET and barred the students from preparing for the test
ER Eswaran, Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi
CM grants Rs 7 lakh aid to Anitha’s family
Chennai: Expressing deep grief over the death of S Anitha, who had reportedly committed suicide over not being able to pursue medical course, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday granted a financial assistance of D7 lakh to her family. He also announced that government employment would be given to one of the family members of Anitha according to the educational qualifications of the person. “The State government will always act in the interest of the students. I appeal to the student community not to take extreme step,” the Chief Minister said in a statement.
IMA State unit to open free coaching centres
Chennai: Shocked by the death of NEET aspirant S Anitha after failing to secure medical admission, the Tamil Nadu unit of the Indian Medical Association has resolved to open free coaching centres in the districts from this year. “We have come to the stage where NEET has become inevitable. But this will lead on to only the mighty and rich shall enter into corridors of medicine,” said Dr JA Jayalal in a statement on Thursday. Guided by a standing committee headed by Dr Abdulhassan, the association would open free coaching centres in all possible districts for the coming academic year from December.