TN orders withdrawal of cases against 1,800 anti-NEET protesters

The Tamil Nadu government has ordered the withdrawal of 65 cases registered against around 1,800 people who participated in protests against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), an official order said.

Several demonstrations were held across Tamil Nadu between May 10 and July 31, demanding the scrapping of NEET, the nationwide entrance examination conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission to medical courses.

“The details regarding the cases that were registered against those who participated in the protests in Tamil Nadu, and their current status, were brought to the attention of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay,” an official statement said late on Saturday.

It added: “The government, as per the instructions of the chief minister, has issued an order immediately to take appropriate legal steps to withdraw the 65 criminal cases registered against approximately 1,800 people who took part in anti-NEET protests.”

The ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which came to power in the state in May, has backed the demand to scrap NEET and called for education to be moved from the Concurrent List to the State List of the Constitution.

The Vijay government has also proposed that admissions to medical courses in the state be based on Class 12 examination marks, a position taken by the previous DMK government as well.