Tamil Nadu Assembly on August 11 passed two resolutions urging the Union government to abolish the NEET system for undergraduate medical admissions and withdraw the proposed FCRA Amendment Bill, with the ruling TVK government arguing that NEET undermines social justice and the State’s autonomy in medical admissions, while the BJP’s lone MLA opposed the anti-NEET resolution and walked out.
Today, TN Health Minister K Arunraaj moved a resolution urging the Central government to amend the relevant central laws to abolish the NEET examination system for undergraduate medical admissions. It urged the Union government to abolish the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for undergraduate medical admissions and allow the state to admit students to medical courses based on their Class 12 public examination marks.
மாண்புமிகு தமிழக முதலமைச்சர் அவர்களின் அறிவுறுத்தலின் பேரில்… சமூக நீதி, சமத்துவம், சம வாய்ப்பு மற்றும் மாநில உரிமைகளுக்கு எதிரான நீட் தேர்வு முறையை ரத்து செய்ய வேண்டும் என ஒன்றிய அரசை வலியுறுத்தி, இன்றைய தினம் மாண்பமை சட்டமன்றத்தில் அரசினர் தனித் தீர்மானத்தை முன்மொழிந்தோம்.… pic.twitter.com/HkYt8ZFMXT
— Arunraaj TVK (@arunraajkg) August 11, 2026
The resolution also called for medical education to be moved from the Concurrent List to the State List, giving states greater autonomy to frame admission policies according to their social, educational and healthcare requirements.
Arun Raj said, “NEET is not merely about the functioning of an entrance examination but involves social justice, equality of opportunity, students’ future and the federal structure of the Constitution.”
He said, “The state government’s experience is that NEET had increased the importance of private coaching and placed students who could afford extensive coaching at an advantage, adding that the previous system helped students from rural areas, government schools, economically weaker families, first-generation graduates and socially disadvantaged communities to enter medical education.”
The minister further added, “Tamil Nadu is not opposed to national standards, transparency or merit, but maintained that the admission system should also take into account social justice and equality of opportunity.”
The resolution seeks permission for Tamil Nadu to fill its state-quota seats in MBBS, BDS and AYUSH courses based on Class 12 public examination marks. The state argues that such a system would restore greater weight to a student’s school education and reduce dependence on expensive private coaching.
Except for the BJP lone member, all MLAs supported the resolution, including DMK, AIADMK, Congress, CPI and CPI(M). Following the debate, Speaker J C D Prabhakar announced that the resolution had been passed unanimously.
The lone BJP MLA in the TN Assembly walked out against the anti-NEET resolution, saying, “We shouldn’t undermine the abilities of TN students; the government should run coaching centres to help students.”
Former Telangana Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, taking to her X platform, countered the resolution. She said, “NEET is not a barrier to social justice. Unequal access to quality education are the real challenges—and those must be addressed. A common national entrance examination provides one common benchmark for students from different schools, boards, districts and socio-economic backgrounds. If there are concerns about coaching, the solution is free and quality NEET coaching for government-school and rural students. If there are concerns about paper leaks, PM has strengthened the examination system and punished those responsible. If there are concerns about student stress, provide counselling and academic support. But abolishing NEET is not the solution.”
The Tamil Nadu Government's resolution seeking the abolition of NEET is deeply disappointing.
NEET is not a barrier to social justice. unequal access to quality education are the real challenges—and those must be addressed.
A common national entrance examination provides one…— Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan (@DrTamilisai4BJP) August 11, 2026
She said, “Instead of allowing political narratives to overshadow their aspirations, let us celebrate their achievements and make their success stories the examples for the next generation.”
Tamilisai said, “NEET should be improved, strengthened and made more accessible—not abolished. Education must empower our children to compete with the nation, not isolate them from it…. Tamil Nadu students, in spite of the political parties continuously demotivating them, have performed well in the NEET exams…”
It is pertinent to mention that earlier, in 2021, the DMK government passed a resolution, but then Governor RN Ravi returned it for reconsideration, and in February 2022, the Assembly passed it again and sent it back for Presidential consent.
In June 2024, the State Assembly passed another resolution urging the Centre to scrap NEET nationally and approve TN’s exemption bill.
In April 2025, President Droupadi Murmu withheld assent to the same. In November 2025, the TN government approached the Supreme Court challenging the President’s decision.
The latest leak has given more ammunition to the anti-NEET national group after Cockroach Janata Party’s protest in Delhi. In July 2026, the Centre passed a bill in Parliament. The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, was passed by both Houses of Parliament.
Against FCRA
Another resolution at the Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously urges the Centre to withdraw the proposed FCRA Amendment Bill. TVK Minister Rajmohan moved a separate resolution urging the Union Government to restore the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).
Tamil Nadu Assembly Session | Tamil Nadu government moves resolution against FCRA Bill. TVK Minister Rajmohan has moved a separate resolution urging the Union Government to restore the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). The request is that any law should uphold property…
— ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2026
Critics point out that a day after a delegation of Christian and Muslim leaders called on the CM, raising their concerns about the proposed Central government decision to amend the FCRA Act.
மாண்புமிகு தமிழ்நாடு முதலமைச்சர் திரு.ச.ஜோசப் விஜய் அவர்களை இன்று (10.8.2026) தலைமைச் செயலகத்தில், தமிழ்நாடு மாநில சிறுபான்மையினர் நல ஆணையத்தின் தலைவர் திரு.ஞா.ஃபெலிக்ஸ் ஜெரால்டு அவர்கள் தலைமையில், கிறித்துவ மற்றும் இஸ்லாமிய அமைப்புகளைச் சேர்ந்த டாக்டர் பால் தினகரன், அருட்பணி… pic.twitter.com/Y5EOyO2xqJ
— CMOTamilNadu (@CMOTamilnadu) August 10, 2026
Earlier, several Christian leaders representing various denominations met DMK president MK Stalin on August 8.
Several Christian leaders representing various denominations at the State and national levels met Thiru M.K. Stalin, President of the DMK, today at his residence in Chennai. The delegation comprised of Archbishop Chinappa; Evangelist Dr. Paul Dhinakaran, Jesus Calls; Evangelist… https://t.co/KdBG3cyj3B pic.twitter.com/SIWfmpOTuq
— P. Wilson (@PWilsonDMK) August 8, 2026
They urged the withdrawal of the FCRA (Amendment) Bill, 2026, along with the repeal of Section 15 of the FCRA Act, 2010, or, alternatively, its reference to a Joint Parliamentary Committee for detailed examination. DMK MP P Wilson is spearheading a campaign against the proposed amendment.
Critics argue that there is a strong medical college lobby in Tamil Nadu that is opposed to NEET. They contend that NEET has widened access to medical education across various sections of society, promoted social justice and brought greater transparency to admissions by curbing the management quota that previously dominated the fee structure.
While speaking about the FCRA, they say that instead of welcoming the proposed FCRA amendments aimed at ensuring transparency, the Christian lobby is playing the religious victimhood card and appears unwilling to be accountable for the funds it receives or to respect the laws of the land passed by Parliament.
