The Madras High Court on Monday asked the Narendra Modi government at the Centre why the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test cannot be cancelled in light of the impersonation scandal that disrupted it a few months back, NDTV reported. “Why can’t the Centre cancel NEET...just like other systems brought by Congress-DMK regime?”

The High Court alleged that NEET discriminates against the poor even though it was set up to “stop big money in medical admissions”. “It is shocking that only those who attended coaching classes...paid as much as Rs. 5 lakh...obtain medical seats,” it added. “But huge amounts of money are being paid to coaching centres to get admission.”

Last month, the High Court had granted bail to an MBBS student arrested in connection with the scam. However, the court denied bail to his father.

On October 4, the High Court said the impersonation fraud could have ramifications across India, and sought a reply from the Centre. The court made the Union health and human resource development ministries parties to the case, saying the fraud may not have been confined to just Tamil Nadu.

The case came to light in September after Government Theni Medical College Dean AK Rajendran received two emails alleging that the MBBS student had been admitted to the institution via fraudulent means. The student is accused of hiring a proxy to write the exam. At least six people, apart from the student and his father, were arrested by the police.

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