Chennai, Apr 9 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday said that the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is not an exam from which the state cannot be exempted and exuded confidence of getting an exemption for the state through legal means.

Stalin, addressing a meeting of legislature party leaders, recalled that he proposed the anti-NEET Bill on September 13, 2021 and following adoption, it was sent to Governor to get Presidential assent.

“The Governor should have sent the bill immediately to the President. I place it on record with anguish that he began doing politics without doing his Constitutional duty,” he said.

The chief minister said the government put up a spirited fight to get approval for that bill.

Under these circumstances, on February 1, 2022 he sent back the bill. Immediately, on February 5, 2022, a similar meeting of legislature party leaders was held and it was decided to pass once again the returned bill and send it afresh to the governor.

On February 8, 2022, the bill was adopted again and it was sent to governor for getting the approval of the President. The chief minister recalled that he called on governor, the prime minister and home minister in this regard and sought expeditious approval.

All party MPs called on the President and presented a memorandum and in view of such continuous follow up work, Stalin said the anti-NEET bill was sent to the union home ministry by the governor and this was conveyed by him on the floor of the Assembly on May 4, 2022.

Though the state government provided all due explanations to union ministries, the Centre declined to approve the anti-NEET bill and days ago, Stalin said he informed the House about the denial of nod. PTI VGN ROH