Tamil Nadu CM Stalin Reiterates Opposition to NEET Amidst Controversy Over Results

The NEET UG results, announced on June 4, have faced intense scrutiny after it was revealed that 67 students achieved perfect scores of 720/720. This unprecedented outcome led to widespread protests from medical aspirants and their parents

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin reaffirmed his opposition to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), citing significant irregularities in the recently released results. In a post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Stalin highlighted the ongoing issues that have marred the credibility of the medical entrance exam.

“Trends emerging from the latest NEET results have once again vindicated our principled opposition to the exam,” Stalin tweeted. He pointed to specific problems such as question paper leaks, clustering of toppers at specific centers, and the award of mathematically impossible marks under the guise of grace marks, underscoring what he termed as the pitfalls of the current Union government’s centralization.

Stalin emphasized the need to restore the authority of state governments and the school education system in determining the criteria for professional course selection. He criticized NEET and similar entrance examinations as being anti-poor, undermining federalism, and going against social justice. “NEET and other entrance examinations are anti-poor. They undermine federal polity and impact the availability of doctors in deserving areas. Let’s join hands to eradicate this malady. That day is not far!” he declared.

In a separate statement, CPI(M) State Secretary K. Balakrishnan urged the Centre to investigate the alleged irregularities in NEET and ensure those responsible are punished. He also reiterated the call for states to have the autonomy to decide whether to adopt NEET. "States must be given rights to adopt procedures for student selection to medical colleges," Balakrishnan added.

Health Minister Ma Subramanian echoed Stalin’s concerns while speaking to reporters at the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Hospital for Women in Egmore. “The National Testing Agency should release the selection list to clarify how many students received compensatory marks and at which centers. Our state has always been against NEET. Also, 67 students scoring 720 out of 720 raises suspicion. This year, it will be tough even for students who scored 650 marks to get a seat,” Subramanian stated.

The NEET UG results, announced on June 4, have faced intense scrutiny after it was revealed that 67 students achieved perfect scores of 720/720. This unprecedented outcome led to widespread protests from medical aspirants and their parents, who raised concerns over potential malpractices, the unclear implementation of grace marks, and alleged paper leaks.

The controversy around NEET has intensified with multiple petitions filed in various courts, challenging the conduct and outcome of the examination. As legal battles unfold, the calls for scrapping NEET and restoring state control over medical admissions are gaining momentum.

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