All major political parties, including the ruling DMK and the AIADMK, are opposed to NEET
Actor-turned politician Vijay on Wednesday spoke out against NEET and extended his support to the resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly against the central qualifying test for undergraduate medical programmes, seeking exemption to the southern state.
The NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) has been a sensitive issue in Tamil Nadu as scores of medical aspirants have died allegedly by suicide over the past few years. All major political parties, including the ruling DMK and the AIADMK, have been opposed to the exam.
"NEET has lost its credibility and it has to be abandoned across India," said Vijay as he addressed class X and XII toppers for the second time in a week.
Pressing for total freedom for states, Vijay said: "NEET exemption is the only instant solution. I welcome the resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly."
Vijay, founder of Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), urged the Union government to give assent for the NEET exemption bill passed by the state assembly soonest.
Calling the mandatory entrance test for medical admission "against states' rights", Vijay said "it affects the poor, backward and marginalised and scheduled caste students".
The concept of one nation, one test, Vijay said "is against diversity and against the very purpose of education". He added, "Imagine how difficult will it be for students studying state syllabus to take an exam under NCERT?"
The politician, whose party is preparing to contest the 2026 Assembly elections, said education should be brought under the State list.
The permanent solution would be to move Education from Concurrent list to State list and if there was any 'difficulty' in this, "a special Concurrent List could be created and include Education and Health in it," following a Constitutional amendment, he said.
For nearly a decade, Tamil Nadu has abolished entrance test for medical admission, saying it favours affluent students who can afford private coaching and works against poor and rural students who can't afford private coaching. More than 20 medical aspirants have died by suicide over the issue in te recent years.
When NEET was introduced during the UPA regime, the state was given exemption following assent by the then President following pressure from the the ruling DMK.
However, the BJP has not yet given assent to a bill passed by the state assembly to exempt the state from the mandatory test. The state brought out the bill following recommendations by a committee under a retired high court judge.
Vijay, who has a cult following in the state, is reaching out to first time voters and their parents hoping to make a dent in Tamil Nadu politics dominated by the two Dravidian parties.
Last week, he had encouraged students to enter politics, saying, "Now we need good leaders. We have enough doctors and engineers".
While contemporary stars like Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth have not been able to make it big in Tamil Nadu politics, his fans say Vijay will hit a sixer as he has made this plunge when he's at the peak of his popularity unlike others.