Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalin on Thursday renewed his demand for scrapping the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), saying the medical entrance exam had failed to deliver on its promises and had created more challenges for students.
In a post on social media platform X, MK Stalin said NEET was introduced with claims that it would reduce students’ academic pressure, stop the commercialisation of medical education and improve overall standards. However, he argued that the examination had achieved the opposite.
Stalin Says NEET increased dependence on coaching centres
Stalin claimed that NEET had shifted the focus of preparation away from schools and towards private coaching institutes. According to him, students and families were now facing additional financial and mental pressure as coaching became almost necessary for those aiming for medical seats.
He said the problems linked to NEET were not limited to examination procedures but were part of a larger issue within the system itself. Recent controversies and student protests, he added, had highlighted concerns that Tamil Nadu had been raising for years.
“The ongoing student protests must serve as a wake-up call for the Union Government. It’s time to trust the states. It’s time to abolish NEET,” Stalin wrote on X.
Support for students protesting at Jantar Mantar
Stalin’s comments came a day after he extended support to students protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The demonstrations have been taking place amid allegations of irregularities in the conduct of NEET and demands for changes in the medical admission system.
Backing the protesters, Stalin said Tamil Nadu had warned since the beginning that NEET could lead to unfair conditions and make access to medical education more difficult for many students.
He said the DMK had opposed NEET from its introduction, arguing that the exam affected students from rural areas, government schools and economically weaker sections.
DMK says scrapping NEET is the only solution
Stalin maintained that fixing only examination-related issues would not address the larger concerns surrounding NEET. He said the focus of the ongoing protests should remain on completely removing the exam rather than making limited changes to its process.
According to him, abolishing NEET would be necessary to ensure fairness, transparency and equal opportunities for students from different backgrounds.
He also highlighted Tamil Nadu’s history of advocating social justice, stating that the state had played an important role in advancing equality through constitutional reforms and continued to stand against NEET on similar grounds.
Appeal to Centre to reconsider education policy
The DMK chief urged the Union government to listen to students’ concerns and reconsider the current medical admission system. He called for a model that provides equal opportunities to aspiring doctors across the country without creating barriers for disadvantaged groups.
Stalin said the growing protests should encourage the Centre to place greater confidence in states while making decisions related to education.
Reiterating Tamil Nadu’s position, he said the state would continue to demand the complete abolition of NEET, calling it the only way to address concerns over accessibility and social justice in medical education.