CHENNAI: Seizing upon the nationwide outrage surrounding the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 exam, newly elected Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has called for the immediate and complete abolition of the centralized medical entrance test.
In a strong statement issued shortly after the National Testing Agency's (NTA) admission of a paper leak, CM Vijay asserted that the latest controversy exposes the severe "structural flaws" inherent in the national examination system. He argued that the centralized test has repeatedly shattered the dreams of thousands of aspiring doctors and fostered an exploitative coaching mafia.
Reiterating the state’s historic and unanimous opposition to the exam, the Chief Minister urged the Union Government to permanently exempt Tamil Nadu from the ambit of NEET. He demanded that the state be permitted to fill all medical seats—including MBBS, BDS, and AYUSH courses—under the state quota based solely on the students' Class 12 board examination marks, an admission process that was successfully practiced prior to 2017.
"The systemic irregularities and paper leaks have proven beyond doubt that NEET is not a foolproof or equitable mechanism to evaluate merit. It only places an immense financial and psychological burden on students, particularly those from rural and marginalized backgrounds," the Chief Minister stated. The TVK leader's swift and aggressive response indicates that his new administration will relentlessly pursue the anti-NEET legal and political battle on the national stage.