Chennai: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham (DMK), sniffing at a good show these Lok Sabha elections have brought cheer to lakhs of medical aspirants in the state, by stating that it would scrap the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) if brought to power. The state has had a tumultuous run with the centrally administered NEET, with most complaints stating that the question papers were not properly translated in Tamil, therefore, putting langiage students at a disadvantage. The DMK, in its manifesto for the general elections, promises to do away with the central exam to the medical and dental courses. The party has also promised to waive off all educational loans of students. Nearly 1.41 lakh students have registered from Tamil Nadu for NEET 2019, which will be held in May this year. There is no data on how many students have enrolled for the Tamil version of NEET. The Supreme Court on November 29 had also allowed students who are 25 and above to sit for the exam that is a gateway to premiere medical colleges in the country. Though the last two years has been chequered with protests and court cases against the way NEET has been conducted in the state. But reports suggest that students are more or less resigned to the NEET, and have taken preparations seriously this year.<doc-sep>The DMK chief also promised to give citizenship to all Sri Lankan refugees in Tamil Nadu. (Photo: ANI) Chennai: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Tuesday released its poll manifesto and promised efforts to release seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. DMK Chief MK Stalin said, "AIADMK will urge Government of India and the President to give due direction to the Governor of Tamil Nadu for the release of the seven Tamil convicts as ordered by Supreme Court and approved by the cabinet of Tamil Nadu government." The DMK chief also promised to give citizenship to all Sri Lankan refugees in Tamil Nadu. On the education front, he promised to abolish NEET. Assured to waive education loans and announced to provide free rail facility for school and college students. Stalin also asserted that if voted to power his government will create more jobs and fill up all existing vacancies in all central government departments in Tamil Nadu. He also said that Tamil will be made the official language in Central Government offices in the state. The DMK also said that it will push for full statehood of Puducherry and a CBI-led probe into Kodanadu Estate heist. A total of 39 Lok Sabha seats are at stake in Tamil Nadu and one in Puducherry. DMK will contest 20 out of 39 seats in Tamil Nadu, while its ally Congress will contest on nine seats and also the lone seat in Puducherry. Tamil Nadu will go to polls on April 18 for its 39 parliamentary constituencies while by-polls will also be held in 18 assembly seats simultaneously. The Election Commission will announce the results on May 23.<doc-sep>Chennai: Dumping of NEET and waiver of education loans, besides the abolition of death penalty and release of the seven convicts in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case are among the prime pledges in the DMK manifesto released on Tuesday. Releasing the poll document, DMK president MK Stalin said the party has all along opposed the Neet in Tamil Nadu and will take firm steps to get it abolished when the party participates in the next government at the Centre. The manifesto also promises steps for abolishing Article 356 that allows the Centre to dismiss a democratically-elected state government. "The National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET), which is being presently enforced for selection to admissions for graduate and post-graduate courses in medical colleges, is against the interest of the poor, rural and oppressed class students, across the country. In the interest of social justice, the DMK will strive for abolition of NEET forthwith," the manifesto said. On the Centre-State relations, the DMK manifesto said it would strive for establishing 'Regional Council of States', declaring Tamil as co-official language in all Central Government offices in Tamil Nadu, accepting Tamil as court language of Madras High Court and getting reservation in appointment of eligible persons belonging to SC, ST, BC and MBC as judges in all courts. Also, the DMK would urge the Centre to bring out required amendments to the IPC for the total abolition of death sentence, which has already been done away with in 150 countries. The manifesto also promised pressure on the Centre for 'comprehensive' probe into purchase of Rafale fighter planes, enquiry into seizure of containers with huge currency of `570 crore and CBI probe into Kodanadu Estate murder and robbery, besides steps to get the Centre to accord full-fledged statehood for Puducherry. "The DMK urges the Central and State governments to take appropriate action to release on humanitarian grounds the seven persons who were convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and are languishing in prison for more than 27 years," said Stalin, reading out from the manifesto. The manifesto has also promised pressure on the Centre to ensure that the Central PSUs in TN should employ not less than 90 per cent of their staff from the state and also urge providing compensation for those who died during demonetisation. Against the background of agitations by state government employees seeking reversion to the old pension scheme in place of the newly-introduced contributory scheme, the DMK chief said: "We will bring back the old pension scheme for both the central and state government employees." The re-introduction of Administered Pricing Mechanism (APM) for petroleum products so as to protect the consumer from price fluctuation on daily basis and increase of exemption limit of Income Tax to Rs 8 lakhs are part of the DMK manifesto that also promised steps towards an acceptable GST rate to mitigate all problems through the GST council. The party would also work towards establishing separate budget for farmers and ensure waiver of all kinds of crop loans taken by small and marginal farmers. On the women's front, DMK manifesto said it would push for installation of vending machines to provide free sanitary napkins to working women in Central Government offices, introducing martial arts for girl students in schools, passage of bill seeking 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies, besides a firm legislation against posting of any kind of obscene pictures of women on social media.<doc-sep>
Assuring to provide honest governance and secular administration to the people, DMK president M.K. Stalin on Tuesday released party’s manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections and by-elections to 18 Assembly constituencies in the State. The manifesto for the Parliamentary Elections 2019 dealt with macro issues such as Central-State relations, separate budget for agriculture, education in the State list, abolition of NEET, waiver of educational loans, free rail for students and return to old pension scheme among others. To unseat the ruling AIADMK government, the DMK has made constituency-wise promises for the Assembly constituencies for which by-elections will be held along with the Lok Sabha polls on April 18. In continuation with its language policy that helped it capture power in the 1960s, Mr. Stalin said the party will urge the Centre to declare Tamil as co-official language in all the Central government offices, institutions and nationalised commercial banks in the State. On devolution of funds to States, the manifesto said 60% of the total tax revenue of the Centre should be shared with the States and insisted that only the Inter-State Council should decide the terms of reference of the constitution of the Finance Commission. Also, the criteria for allocation of tax revenue should give equal weightage for performance and equity so that States such as Tamil Nadu get their due share that will encourage further growth. On petrol and diesel prices, Mr. Stalin said the Administered Pricing Mechanism will be reintroduced to control prices. Likewise, the LPG cylinder price will be fixed after deducting the subsidy amount. Mr. Stalin pitched for increasing IT exemption limit to ₹8 lakh. The DMK will press for appointment of one crore youth, who have studied up to 10th standard, as road workers for maintaining roads in the country. Similar to the DMK’s Makkal Nala Paniyalargal in Tamil Nadu, the Centre should employ 50 lakh women as people’s welfare workers in the country, he said. A committee with T.R. Baalu as the co-ordinator and comprising Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan, V.P. Duraisami, Kanimozhi, Tiruchi Siva, A. Raja, T.K.S. Elangovan and Prof. A. Ramasamy prepared the DMK's election manifesto.