Tamil Nadu CM Calls All-Party Meet on NEET Exemption After Bill Rejection; AIADMK Announces Boycott
Chennai, India - Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has convened an all-party meeting scheduled for today, April 9, 2025, to deliberate on the future course of action following the central government's refusal to approve the state's bill seeking exemption from the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical admissions.
However, the state's principal opposition party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), has declared its intention to boycott the meeting. AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami dismissed the initiative as a "drama" and expressed skepticism about its potential to yield any meaningful resolution to the NEET issue.
Palaniswami criticized the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), alleging a lack of substantive efforts to abolish NEET in the preceding four years, despite promises made prior to the 2021 state assembly elections. He suggested that the all-party meeting is a strategic move by the DMK to assuage public discontent and political opposition in the lead-up to the 2026 elections.
Chief Minister Stalin had earlier condemned the rejection of the bill, which aimed to facilitate medical admissions based on Class 12 scores rather than NEET rankings, as a setback for federalism. He reaffirmed the state government's dedication to persist in its opposition to NEET, asserting that the examination disadvantages students from rural and economically weaker sections of society.
The NEET issue remains a significant point of contention in Tamil Nadu, with numerous political parties in the state advocating against the national-level medical entrance examination.
