Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday launched a scathing attack on the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), terming it a "moral scandal" of corruption and systemic malpractices.
Responding to fresh reports of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation into suspected score manipulation in NEET-UG 2025, Stalin reiterately called for the scrapping of the exam in its entirety.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Stalin commented, "Another example that confirms NEET isn't merit; it's all about the market. This is why we're shouting it loud and clear – #NEETisNotNEAT – and we have every right to.
His comments follow a CBI case against a doctor in Maharashtra and NTA officials for allegedly manipulating NEET-UG marks in return for bribes. The case revealed how severely flawed the system is, claimed Stalin, even if it was presented as a gauge of intellectual merit.
"Underpinning the entire NEET system is suspect," Stalin said. "Right from the preparation of questions to conducting the exam and declaring results, each phase is sullied by malpractice and irregularity."
Stalin did not limit himself to attacking NEET. He targeted opposition AIADMK too, holding its leadership guilty of remaining mute as Tamil Nadu students grapple with increasing stress and injustice.
"They are occupied being decorative figures at Sangh Parivar functions, but they lack the backbone to voice their opinion in support of the Tamil Nadu students," Stalin stated, suggesting the party's alignment with the BJP and RSS was hindering it from raising issues against NEET.
Tamil Nadu has been one of the strongest states opposing NEET since its introduction. The government, led by the DMK, contends that the centralised medical entrance examination degrades the state's long-standing tradition of ensuring equal access to higher studies, especially for rural students, marginalized groups, and first-generation learners.
Opposition to NEET in the state has intensified particularly after a series of student suicides related to stress and anxiety about writing the exam. At least 20 young Tamil Nadu aspirants have been said to have committed suicide since 2017 fearing failure or under pressure to perform.
The tragedies have precipitated public outrage and large-scale protests throughout the state. The Tamil Nadu Assembly has moved several resolutions calling for an exemption from NEET, calling for the restoration of admissions based on board examination marks of Class XII. Those moves have, however, been stymied, with the Governor and the central government still not giving the nod to the state legislative moves.
With the latest corruption allegations surfacing and nationwide concern growing around the integrity of NEET, Stalin’s comments are likely to reignite the political debate and deepen public scrutiny of the examination process.
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