Tamil Nadu’s ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) intensified its opposition to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), declaring that the medical entrance examination should be scrapped altogether
and that states should be given greater control over medical education.
The statement comes amid ongoing student protests in Delhi over alleged irregularities in NEET and marks the strongest articulation yet of the party’s position on the issue.
In a statement, the party said its stand was not limited to concerns over paper leaks or exam-related irregularities, but extended to the complete abolition of NEET.
“Our uncompromising and firm stand is that NEET should be abolished,” the party said.
TVK also called for education to be moved from the Concurrent List to the State List of the Constitution, arguing that states should have full authority over educational matters, including medical admissions and policy.
The party proposed the creation of a Special Concurrent List as an interim arrangement if constitutional or procedural hurdles prevent an immediate transfer of powers to states.
“If there are any legal or procedural hurdles in doing so, a Special Concurrent List should be created as an interim measure until they are resolved to grant powers to state governments,” the statement said.
The party added that the proposal reflected the vision articulated by Chief Minister and TVK founder C. Joseph Vijay, whom it referred to as its “victorious leader.”
Without naming the opposition DMK, TVK also took a swipe at parties that had promised to abolish NEET in the past but failed to do so after coming to power.
The party said it would never engage in the “fraudulent politics” of seeking votes through promises to scrap NEET and later failing to deliver.
The remarks appeared aimed at the DMK, which had pledged ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections that it would work towards abolishing the entrance test.
TVK further accused political rivals of attempting to claim credit for the efforts and ideas of others, saying those indulging in such politics should stop targeting the party.
The statement comes amid renewed political debate over NEET in Tamil Nadu following protests by rapper and activist Therukkural Arivu, who recently raised anti-NEET slogans outside the state Secretariat before being removed by police.
The NEET issue has long remained a politically sensitive subject in Tamil Nadu, with several parties arguing that the national entrance examination disadvantages students from state board and rural backgrounds.
