Tamil Nadu Assembly passes resolution to abolish NEET
State legislature unanimously votes to end medical entrance exam, citing paper leaks and harm to rural students.
Conversation activity · last 19 hours peak 4/30m
Summary, timeline and people extracted by Claude from 8 items across 3 sources · 2h ago. Quotes are verbatim.
The Tamil Nadu Assembly on August 11, 2026 unanimously passed a resolution urging the central government to abolish NEET (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test), the national medical entrance exam. The resolution, moved by Health Minister K.G. Arunraj in the Vijay government, cites repeated question paper leaks, proliferation of coaching centres, student suicides, and disproportionate harm to rural and socio-economically disadvantaged students. The move comes after BJP education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation last month following a NEET paper leak scandal.
- Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously passed a resolution calling for NEET abolition, with backing from ruling TVK, Congress, DMK, and AIADMK.
- Resolution cites paper leaks, student suicides, coaching centre proliferation, and disproportionate harm to rural and disadvantaged students as reasons for abolition.
- The state proposes Class XII marks-based admissions instead and seeks constitutional shift of education from Concurrent to State List.
- Move comes after June 2026 NEET scandal and resignation of BJP education minister; reflects broader anti-NEET sentiment in Tamil Nadu.
How it unfolded
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The assembly resolution comes amid an ongoing anti-NEET hunger strike in Chennai that had entered its 11th day on Tuesday, August 11.
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The Tamil Nadu legislative assembly unanimously passed a resolution calling for the abolition of NEET. The resolution was moved by state health minister K.G. Arunraj. All parties except the lone BJP MLA M. Bhojarajan supported it; the BJP legislator staged a walkout before voting.
“NEET has diverted focus of students from school curriculum to coaching alone…This test gravely undermines medical education opportunities of rural, socio-economically disadvantaged students.”
K.G. Arunraj · Google News ↗ -
The resolution lists repeated question paper leaks, cancellation and re-conduct of NEET-UG 2026, student suicides linked to examination stress, and loss of public trust in the exam system as reasons for abolition.
“A single day's test, rather than twelve years of school education, now determines the course of a student's higher education.”
Tamil Nadu Assembly resolution · Google News ↗ -
The Tamil Nadu government has proposed that medical admissions be based on Class 12 examination marks. The resolution also calls for education to be shifted from the Concurrent List to the State List as a permanent solution.
What people are saying verbatim
“NEET has diverted focus of students from school curriculum to coaching alone…This test gravely undermines medical education opportunities of rural, socio-economically disadvantaged students.”
K.G. Arunraj, Tamil Nadu Health Minister · Hindustan Times ↗
“NEET is against social justice, equality, and rights of states.”
Tamil Nadu government (successive administrations), State government position · Hindustan Times ↗
“A single day's test, rather than twelve years of school education, now determines the course of a student's higher education.”
Tamil Nadu Assembly resolution, Legislative position · The Hindu ↗
“The examination has forfeited the trust of the students of this country. NEET should, therefore, be abolished.”
Tamil Nadu Assembly resolution, Legislative position · The Hindu ↗
“The permanent solution to the NEET issue was to shift education from the Concurrent List to the State List.”
K.G. Arunraj, Tamil Nadu Health Minister · The Hindu ↗