Vijay revives anti-NEET push after fresh leak row, demands return to Class 12-based admissions

In a sharp statement, the Chief Minister said repeated irregularities had exposed “serious structural flaws” in the all-India examination system and argued that the latest scandal was proof that NEET had failed to ensure fairness.

Vijay targets NEET after leak allegations

Referring to earlier controversies, Vijay said the 2024 exam had also seen paper leak allegations, with FIRs filed across six states before the probe was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

He noted that a high-level reform committee led by K. Radhakrishnan had recommended 95 reforms after the previous crisis, but another leak had surfaced within two years.

“This is conclusive proof of flaws in a national-level exam,” the statement said.

Tamil Nadu renews demand for exemption

The Tamil Nadu government reiterated its demand that NEET be abolished and states be allowed to fill seats under their quotas in MBBS, BDS and AYUSH courses based on higher secondary marks.

Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed NEET since its introduction, arguing that the system favours affluent, urban and English-medium students while disadvantaging rural, government school and vernacular-medium candidates.

State leaders have long maintained that a single high-stakes exam cannot fairly assess merit in a socially unequal education system.

Long political consensus against NEET

Opposition to NEET in Tamil Nadu cuts across party lines, with multiple governments taking the same stand over the years.

The state has argued that its earlier Class 12-based admissions model rewarded consistent academic performance rather than relying on one competitive test.

During the United Progressive Alliance era, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam had approved an exemption that allowed Tamil Nadu to continue without entrance tests for medical admissions.

However, NEET was made mandatory nationwide in 2017, prompting legal challenges from the state.

Supreme Court battle continues

In November last year, Tamil Nadu approached the Supreme Court of India after the President withheld assent to the state’s NEET Exemption Bill, which had been unanimously passed by the Assembly.

With the fresh paper leak controversy reigniting public anger, Vijay’s latest remarks indicate that the anti-NEET campaign is set to return to the centre of Tamil Nadu politics once again.