Chennai: The State Government in a last ditch effort has sought the Union Government’s permission to promulgate an ordinance for exempting the State from National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) through Health Minister Dr C Vijayabaskar.

The minister has been camping in Delhi for the last two days and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard on Wednesday.

As part of the mission he met several Union Ministers, including Health Minister J P Nanda and pleaded that the Centre should consider an ordinance to remove the hurdles for exempting Tamil Nadu from NEET.

Pressure has been mounting on the State Government from different corners, including the DMK, to get the exemption. As part of this, the State minister also urged the Centre to get the Presidential nod for the two Bills passed in the Assembly, so that the State could continue to admit medical students based on Plus-2 marks.

As medical admission for the academic year is fast approaching, it is thousands of students being put to pressure as they are still unsure of medical admissions.

The Madras High Court’s recent dismissal of the State Government petition challenging single judge order quashing the provision of 85 per cent reservation in the government quota of under graduate medical seats to students from state board has been a severe jolt. It needs Central support to take forward the NEET exemption plan.