Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has renewed the state’s long-standing opposition to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), urging
the Centre to allow medical admissions based on Class 12 marks instead of a common entrance examination. He made the appeal during the 11th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog held in New Delhi. In his speech, Vijay argued that the current system disproportionately affects students from rural and economically weaker backgrounds who lack access to expensive coaching facilities. He said, “I request the Union Government to permit Tamil Nadu to fill the state quota seats for MBBS, BDS and AYUSH admissions based solely on Class 12 marks, instead of the NEET exam. This is essential to ensure equitable opportunities for students from rural and disadvantaged backgrounds, who are disproportionately affected by the current system.”
Also read | ₹50,000 for Fake Marksheets? Bengaluru Racket Busted, CCB Makes Arrest
The chief minister’s remarks come amid continuing national debate over NEET and its impact on medical admissions. Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed the exam since its introduction, arguing that board examination scores are a fairer measure of a student’s academic ability and that NEET favours urban students with access to specialised coaching.
Vijay’s demand is also significant because it revives a political and educational issue that has remained central to Tamil Nadu’s policy stance across governments. The state has repeatedly sought exemption from NEET and advocated for a return to admissions based on higher secondary examination performance.
During the NITI Aayog meeting, Vijay also highlighted broader development priorities for Tamil Nadu, including education, skill development, youth empowerment and employment generation. However, his comments on NEET drew particular attention as they directly challenged the Centre’s existing medical admission framework.
The renewed demand comes at a time when NEET continues to face scrutiny over examination management and concerns about accessibility for students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Vijay’s statement is likely to intensify the ongoing debate on whether a single national entrance test ensures meritocracy or creates barriers for students from underrepresented communities.
While the Union Government has maintained that NEET brings uniformity and transparency to medical admissions, Tamil Nadu’s latest push signals that the political contest over the exam is far from over.
