Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal urges President Mukherjee not to sign NEET ordinance

After the Union Cabinet decided to approve promulgation of an ordinance to keep the state boards out of the ambit of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal today called on President Pranab Mukherjee not to sign the ordinance.

According to an ANI report, the CM said, "I urge Hon'ble President not to sign the ordinance."

Kejriwal's statement came after reports surfaced that the President is seeking clarification on the ordinance and that he was also consulting in house legal experts on certain questions.

Kejriwal had earlier written to PM Narendra Modi asking him not to bring any order against the Supreme Court ruling on NEET, saying the students had welcomed the decision as it discouraged well endowed parents from making 'donations' to get their children admitted into reputed private medical colleges.

"It has come to my attention that reports are adrift that the Centre is making plans to overturn the decision by the Supreme Court and people have been tensed upon hearing this news. The people of the nation will be cheated if the Centre goes through with this decision. Just a few days ago, Union Health Minister JP Nadda called a meeting over the issue, where almost all health ministers opposed NEET, except Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain," the letter stated. Kejriwal added that it is being said many politicians are running their own private medical colleges, in which some institutions are indulging in the practice of accepting large donations, which is why they were vehemently against the NEET examinations.

"It is my humble request to you to ensure that no orders are brought against the Supreme Court ruling in the matter, otherwise people will think that the Centre stand with those who garner black money," Kejriwal said. However, the Centre cleared the ordinance to postpone the exam by a year so that the students have enough time to prepare.

The decision came after a meeting chaired between Union Health minister JP Nadda and other state health ministers over the matter. The meeting was convened after several parliamentarians opposed the common medical entrance test, saying the NEET has created confusion among the students who have already applied for the state entrance exams.

-With inputs from ANI