The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Bill on common entrance tests passed by voice vote

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 28, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Bill on common entrance tests passed by voice vote

Special Correspondent

Opposition urges Government to redraft the legislation

CHENNAI: Welcoming the Bill on common entrance tests for students from streams other than the State Board examinations, the Opposition on Friday asked the Government to consider possible problems it could encounter, before going ahead with the enactment.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam whip E. Pugazhendi said that if the shortcomings were not rectified, it would prove that the Government was not serious about the Bill. An Act with flaws could be questioned in court. The Government should redraft the Bill before bringing it for the consideration of the House.

C. Gnanasekaran (Congress) wanted to know whether the Government had considered a scenario where two or more students scored equal marks. He suggested that in such a case, a student who had studied Tamil as one of the subjects should be given preference. Creating additional seats might be a way out. The two streams of students need not be compared.

Pattali Makkal Katchi president G. K. Mani said in case of similar marks, three or four yardsticks could be applied. The marks obtained in Tamil could be compared; a student from Tamil medium school could be given weightage; the total marks could be considered and weightage given to students from rural areas.

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa pointed out that the issue of entrance test itself came up only because the Medical Council of India made this mandatory. Had the Centre brought in an amendment, the problem could have been solved.

On reservations and the CET, the State had given a draft on how a constitutional amendment should be drawn up. Though it was given to Union Human Resource Minister Arjun Singh, who had requested for the same, it was ignored. The 104th Amendment did not address any of the issues, she said.

Education Minister C.Ve. Shanmugam, who introduced the Tamil Nadu Regulation of Admission in Professional Courses Bill, 2006, outlined how the Centre had not taken into consideration many letters written by the State Government.

The Bill was later passed by a voice vote.

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