AIADMK's top leader O Panneerselvam urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to abolish the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and other similar examinations for all professional and other courses. A day after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin also urged PM Modi to cancel all national level tests and allow the state to fill professional seats, including the MBBS seats, based on class 12 marks. Panneerselvam while backing the DMK government's position said till her death, late AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa had strongly opposed NEET and AIADMK government opposed it all along and two Bills were also adopted in the state Assembly in 2017 but to no avail. Panneerselvam listed the difficulties being faced by marginalised communities in the state to pursue medical education.
Fishermen’s kin, govts accept £1 mn compensation from Italy
The Supreme Court took on record the agreement among the Centre, the Kerala government and the families of the two fishermen shot dead by two Italian Marines in 2012 to accept £1 million compensation from Italy, which will now be responsible for trial of the two navy officers on murder charges. A bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and M R Shah was informed that as per the agreement with the families, £40,000 each would go to the legal heirs of the two fishermen while £200,000 would go to the boat owner. Appearing for Italy, senior advocate Suhail Dutt and advocate Jagjit Singh Chhabra requested the bench for closure of the FIRs filed by the NIA against the two Marines.
