Supreme Court dismisses plea against signature campaigns launched by DMK against NEET in TN schools

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a PIL filed by a Chennai-based advocate seeking directions to prohibit the signature campaigns launched by Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) inside school campuses in the state

"We are of the considered opinion that this is not a fit case to invoke our jurisdiction under Article 32 of the Constitution of India. We, therefore, decline to entertain this writ petition," ordered a bench of Justices Surya Kant and K.V. Viswanathan.

The plea said that the ruling DMK announced the signature campaign in protest and against conduct of NEET exams in Tamil Nadu and targeted to collect 50 lakh signatures in 50 days.

"Taking advantage of being in the ruling party, political activity should not be allowed inside the school campus, and that too, this particularsSignature campaign in protest against NEET should not be allowed to obtain from the School students," it said.

"The signature campaign being conducted at school premises and signatures are being obtained from the school students at schooling hours and in school premises .... and it is being done without the permission of parents of the wards."

The PIL questioned if school students can be allowed to participate in such political activity and their signatures could be obtained without parents’ permission.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly has passed two bills banning the NEET in the state and reverted to the medical admission on the basis of marks in the plus two examinations. After Governor R.N. Ravi withheld assent to the first bill, the Assembly passed another bill abolishing NEET in the state which was forwarded by the Governor to the President for her assent.

The ruling DMK had, during the run-up to the 2021 Assembly elections, promised the people of Tamil Nadu that it would abolish NEET in the state.