Centre Rejects Tamil Nadu’s NEET Exemption Bill, State Plans Next Steps
Chennai, 4th April 2025: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced today that the Centre has rejected the state’s NEET exemption bill, marking a significant setback in the state’s fight against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).
Despite detailed clarifications provided by the Tamil Nadu government, the Union Government declined to grant Presidential assent to the bill aimed at exempting Tamil Nadu from NEET-based medical admissions.
The bill, formally known as the Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Medical Degree Courses Bill, 2021, proposed using Class 12 marks as criteria for medical admissions instead of NEET. Stalin criticized the rejection as a “dark chapter in federalism” and accused the Centre of ignoring Tamil Nadu’s legislative decision and public sentiment.
He reaffirmed the state’s commitment to abolishing NEET, stating that it disproportionately benefits urban students with access to expensive coaching centers while disadvantaging rural and underprivileged students.
To strategize further steps, Stalin has called for an all-party meeting on April 9 at the Secretariat. He emphasized that Tamil Nadu’s decades-old medical admission system had produced some of the best doctors in India and argued that NEET undermines this legacy. “Our fight against NEET isn’t over,” Stalin declared.
The bill’s rejection has reignited debates over its impact on rural students. BJP leaders in Tamil Nadu defended NEET, citing its benefits and provisions like reservation for government school students.
However, Stalin countered that irregularities and malpractices in NEET have led to widespread opposition across states, with leaders like Mamata Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi also demanding its abolition.
The resolution unanimously passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly earlier this year called for amendments to the National Medical Commission Act to scrap NEET nationwide. As political tensions rise, Tamil Nadu continues its determined push for reforms in medical education policies.
