Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said the Centre would “cooperate” with the State Government to grant a one-time exemption from NEET-based admissions through the ordinance route. The exemption from NEET will be only for admission to government medical colleges and the government quota seats in private medical colleges.

Responding quickly, State Health Minister C. Vijaya Baskar said a draft ordinance to allow Tamil Nadu to admit medical aspirants on the basis of their scores in Class XII for “this year” would be submitted to the Central Government for clearance on Monday.

“As far as the private colleges (management quota seats) and deemed universities are concerned, the admission of students is already being done as per NEET. The problem comes only in terms of government medical college admissions and also in terms of seats surrendered by private colleges to the government, i.e., for around 4,000 seats. Students from rural areas are finding it difficult to get admissions through NEET — that is our understanding based on the interaction with the State,” Ms. Sitharaman said.

However, she ruled out any exemption beyond one year and said the State needs to prepare its students to face the common entrance test.

But what surprised political parties cutting across the line is when central Health and law minsters are keeping quiet why commerce minster is been made to handle #NEET subject and her silver line support a conditional offer to self finance colleges and universities raised many eyebrows.