The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Tuesday adopted a resolution urging the Union government to abolish the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for undergraduate medical admissions and allow states to select students using Class 12 examination marks.

State Health Minister K.G. Arunraj moved the resolution, which argued that NEET was inconsistent with social justice, equality and the rights of states in matters concerning medical education.

Members of the DMK, AIADMK, PMK and Left parties supported the proposal. BJP MLA Bhojarajan opposed it and staged a walkout before the resolution was adopted. The New Indian Express

Class 12 Marks Proposed as Alternative

The resolution called for undergraduate medical admissions in Tamil Nadu to be determined through students’ Class 12 results instead of their performance in a single nationwide entrance test.

A suitable normalisation mechanism would be required to compare marks awarded by different school education boards if such a system were eventually introduced.

The state government maintained that twelve years of school performance should not be overshadowed by a single examination. It argued that NEET encourages students to concentrate on expensive entrance coaching instead of their regular school curriculum.

Concerns Over Rural and Poor Students

According to the resolution, NEET disproportionately affects Tamil-medium students and applicants from rural, economically weaker and socially disadvantaged families.

The government argued that students who can afford specialised coaching enjoy an advantage over those dependent entirely on government schools or regular classroom teaching.

It also raised concerns about examination irregularities, recurring paper-leak controversies and the psychological pressure experienced by medical aspirants.

The resolution said these problems had weakened students’ confidence in the national examination system and strengthened the case for returning greater control over medical admissions to state governments.

These assertions represent the Tamil Nadu government’s position. Supporters of NEET have maintained that a common national examination provides a uniform merit-based admission process and reduces the need for students to take multiple entrance tests.

Centre Asked to Amend National Laws

The Assembly urged the Union government to amend the laws that provide the statutory framework for the common medical entrance examination.

These include:

• The National Medical Commission Act, 2019
• The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Act, 2020
• The National Commission for Homoeopathy Act, 2020

The proposed amendments would be required before NEET could be abolished nationwide. Economic Times/PTI

What Happens to NEET After the Resolution?

The Assembly resolution does not immediately abolish NEET or change the admission procedure for the current academic session.

NEET is governed by central legislation and national regulations. Tamil Nadu must therefore continue using the examination for undergraduate medical admissions unless Parliament changes the relevant laws or the state receives a legally valid exemption.

Students should consequently continue following official notifications issued by the National Testing Agency, the Medical Counselling Committee and the Tamil Nadu medical-selection authorities.

Tamil Nadu’s Earlier Anti-NEET Bill

Tamil Nadu had previously passed the Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Medical Degree Courses Bill, 2021, seeking an exemption from NEET and proposing admissions based on normalised Class 12 marks.

Presidential assent was subsequently withheld. The Tamil Nadu government challenged that decision in the Supreme Court, calling it unconstitutional and seeking recognition of the state’s power to adopt an alternative admission system. The New Indian Express

The latest resolution renews Tamil Nadu’s political demand but does not, by itself, alter the legal position.