Tamil Nadu CM Vijay Urges Centre To Scrap NEET Requirement For State Medical Admissions At NITI Aayog Meeting

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has reignited the contentious debate over India's medical entrance examination, the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), demanding its abolition for state medical admissions during the 11th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog. His assertive stance, voiced directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, comes on the heels of the recent NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and subsequent re-examination, providing fresh ammunition for states advocating for autonomy in their education policies. Tamil Nadu has been a vocal opponent of NEET since its inception, arguing that the centralized test disproportionately disadvantages students from rural areas, government schools, and economically weaker backgrounds who lack access to expensive coaching facilities. CM Vijay reiterated the state's long-standing plea to revert to admissions based solely on Class 12 board examination marks, emphasizing that the recent integrity issues surrounding the NEET-UG 2026 exam expose fundamental flaws in the national testing system. This ongoing federal-state friction underscores deeper questions about cooperative federalism and states' rights in shaping critical sectors like education and healthcare, especially concerning the 85% state quota seats in medical colleges. The Centre response to Tamil Nadu renewed demand will be closely watched, particularly as the National Testing Agency prepares to conduct the re-examination for NEET-UG 2026. This development escalates the political pressure on the Union government to address persistent concerns over NEET fairness and accessibility, potentially influencing future policy reforms in medical education and reinforcing the calls for greater state autonomy in admission processes.