Chennai, Feb 3 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi has returned the Bill seeking exemption from NEET for the state to the Speaker for reconsideration of the assembly as it is against the interests of the students, said Raj Bhavan.

The Bill was passed by the assembly on September 13, 2021.

A statement issued by the Raj Bhavan said the Governor was of the opinion that the Bill is against the interests of the students, especially the rural and economically poor students

of the state.

"Hence, the Hon'ble Governor has returned the Bill to the Hon'ble Speaker, Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on February 01, 2022, giving detailed reasons, for its reconsideration by the House," the Raj Bhavan said.

According to the statement, Ravi came to the conclusion after a detailed study of the Bill for admission to Undergraduate Medical Courses seeking exemption from NEET, and the report of the committee constituted by the state government in this regard.

The committee's report was the basis of the Bill. Ravi also examined the pre-NEET status of social justice in medical admissions especially for students coming from socially and economically poor backgrounds while arriving at his conclusion.

The Supreme Court in the Christian Medical College, Vellore Association Vs. Union of India (2020) case also comprehensively examined the issue specially from the social justice perspective and upheld NEET as it prevents economic exploitation of poor students and is in furtherance of social justice, the statement said.