Karnataka assembly passes resolution to be exempted from NEET

The Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Thursday, 25 July, adopted resolutions against the delimitation of Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies based on the next census, against the BJP's 'one nation, one election' proposal and for exemption from NEET (the National Entrance cum Eligibility Test), amid protest from opposition parties.

The resolutions were each adopted separately, by voice vote, with the BJP and JD(S) MLAs protesting from the well of the House.

They demanded instead a discussion on the alleged fraudulent allotment of sites to land losers by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), including to chief minister Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi.

There was no debate on any of the resolutions, given the sloganeering from members of the opposition.

While the resolution on delimitation urged the Centre to consider the 1971 census during the delimitation of Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies and not the census that will be carried out in 2026 or thereafter, the one on 'one nation, one election' called it dangerous for the democratic and federal system.

The resolution on NEET stated that this exam has affected the medical education opportunities of poor children from rural areas and it has to be abolished, in view of the alleged irregularities taking place nationwide. It demanded that Karnataka be exempted from this exam system and that admission of students in medical colleges should be allowed on the basis of the Common Entrance Test (CET) conducted by the state government.

The Karnataka cabinet that met on the night of Monday, 22 July, under the leadership of chief minister Siddaramaiah to approve the tabling of these resolutions in the ongoing legislature session.

The Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, R. Ashoka, said his party is not opposed to a discussion on delimitation — as they too don't want the number of Assembly and the Lok Sabha constituencies in the state to come down — but held it should be taken up when the house is in order or by calling a special session.

He expressed his party's opposition to the resolutions against the 'one nation, one election' proposal and exemption from or abolition of NEET, however.

The resolution, moved by law and parliamentary affairs minister H.K. Patil, said:

Union home minister Amit Shah had earlier said that a census and delimitation will begin soon after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

In the resolution on the 'one nation, one election' proposal, the Congress government pointed out that India is the world's biggest democracy, with a federal system, and that the free-and-fair election prescribed in our Constitution is the 'soul' of the country's democracy.

It said:

'Therefore, this House urges the central government not to implement this draconian law to protect the democratic processes and unity of India,' the resolution read.

Ashoka said his party opposes this resolution, contending that separate elections were time-consuming as they keep the government machinery always on its toes instead of taking up developmental works.

The High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections constituted under the Chairmanship of Former President Ram Nath Kovind submitted its report on 'One Nation, One Election' to President Droupadi Murmu in March.

The resolution on NEET read:

The Karnataka government urged the Centre to immediately exempt the state from this examination and to provide medical admission based on marks obtained in the CET (Common Entrance Test) conducted by the state government.

The resolution, moved by medical education minister Sharan Prakash Patil, says that considering the repeated irregularities in the NEET exam, the central government should also make necessary amendments in the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 (Central Act 30 of 2019), so that the NEET system is given up at the national level as well.

Later, speaking to reporters, Patil said the reason behind adopting these three resolutions was that the Centre has a malafide intention of running the nation in a centralised manner.

In a fourth resolution, which was moved by minister for forest, ecology and environment Eshwar Khandre, the state government urged the Centre to amend the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (Act no. 2 of 2007) and the rules made under it, so as to ensure that other traditional forest dwellers are treated as equals to the Scheduled Tribes living in forests.

This too was adopted by the House.