MK Stalin seeks NEET cancellation, ordinance for Class 12-based admissions

DRavida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chairperson and Tamil Nadu chief government minister MK joseph stalin on fri urged ground Minister Narendra Modi to scrap the NEET-UG examination for the 2026-27 academic year and promulgate an ordinance allowing states to admit medical students based on Class 12 marks in the wake of the latest question paper leak controversy.Taking cognisance of the alleged NEET paper leak earlier this week, Stalin said the incident had once again exposed the “systemic flaws” in the examination system and asserted that such irregularities were not unprecedented.Referring to the pre-NEET era, he recalled that the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) in 2015 had also witnessed irregularities, including question paper leaks through Bluetooth devices, following which the Supreme Court cancelled the examination and ordered a re-test.He further said that in the last 10 years, several irregularities and allegations relating to question paper leaks had surfaced during NEET examinations, but no re-examination was conducted in 2016-17.Observing that NEET had, from the very beginning, disadvantaged students from poor and rural backgrounds, Stalin said, “while being called a merit-based examination, it remains an examination for the wealthy, driven by coaching centres as a money-making business”.Reiterating the DMK government’s long-standing opposition to NEET, Stalin said the state had consistently demanded restoration of states’ rights in medical admissions.“Reflecting the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu, we enacted legislation twice for exemption from NEET; once in 2021 and again in 2022 after the Governor returned it,” he said.Stalin pointed out that the Bill, which was unanimously passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly, remained pending for Presidential assent for nearly three years before President Droupadi Murmu withheld assent in April 2025.“That caused great disappointment among the people. The case filed by my government in the Supreme Court against the President’s decision is also pending,” he said.Reiterating his demand for complete abolition of NEET, Stalin said that conducting the examination again for the 2026-27 academic year would only add to the stress of students already affected by the controversy.“The NEET Examination for the 2026-27 academic year should be cancelled and the State governments should be allowed to fill medical course seats based on school board examination marks,” he said.With Parliament currently not in session, Stalin urged the Centre to amend Section 14 of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, and promulgate an ordinance under Article 123 of the Constitution to enable states to conduct admissions without NEET.“The Prime Minister should accept this request and ensure the future of lakhs of youth, especially rural, backward and poor students,” he said.