Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Wednesday intensified his opposition to the NEET system, urging the Union Government to abolish the national medical entrance examination following the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 over allegations of question paper leaks and large-scale irregularities.
Describing the latest controversy as proof of “serious structural flaws” in the examination process, Vijay said the Centre should allow States to conduct admissions to medical courses based on Class 12 marks instead of relying on a single national-level entrance test.
He said repeated controversies surrounding NEET had destroyed the confidence of students and parents across the country.
The National Testing Agency conducted NEET-UG 2026 on May 3 at 5,432 centres across India, including centres in 31 cities in Tamil Nadu. More than 22 lakh students appeared for the examination nationwide, with nearly 1.4 lakh candidates from Tamil Nadu.
The examination was later cancelled after allegations of question paper leaks emerged, prompting investigations by law enforcement agencies.
The matter has now been referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Vijay pointed out that NEET had faced similar controversies in 2024, when paper leak allegations led to FIRs in several States and triggered a Supreme Court-monitored response. Following that incident, the Union Government had constituted a high-level committee headed by former ISRO chairman Dr K. Radhakrishnan, which submitted 95 recommendations for reforms.
However, Vijay said another major breach occurring within two years clearly demonstrated that the system continued to remain vulnerable. Reiterating Tamil Nadu’s long-standing opposition to NEET, the Chief Minister said the examination disproportionately affects students from rural areas, government schools, Tamil-medium institutions and economically weaker backgrounds.
He argued that the system increasingly favours students who can afford expensive coaching centres and urban educational advantages.
Even before becoming Chief Minister, Vijay had consistently campaigned against NEET during the Assembly election campaign, promising to continue Tamil Nadu’s demand for exemption from the examination.
He had repeatedly maintained that admissions to medical courses should be determined through Plus Two marks rather than a centralised competitive test.
On Wednesday, Vijay renewed his appeal to the Union Government to permanently scrap NEET and restore the powers of States to fill MBBS, BDS and AYUSH seats under the State quota based on Class 12 performance.