When Joseph Vijay entered politics, many wondered if Tamil Nadu's education battles with Delhi would soften under a new generation of leadership. That question has now been answered, at least on NEET.

His party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has taken one of its strongest positions yet, demanding not just action over alleged irregularities in the exam but the complete abolition of NEET UG itself. It has also called for education, including medical education, to be brought fully under the control of states.

The statement makes one thing clear. On NEET, Vijay is standing exactly where previous Tamil Nadu governments stood.

A RARE ISSUE THAT UNITES TAMIL NADU

Tamil Nadu politics is fiercely competitive. But NEET UG has remained one of the few issues where rival parties have largely agreed.

Successive governments led by both the DMK and AIADMK opposed the national medical entrance exam, arguing that it disadvantages rural, government school and state board students while rewarding those who can afford expensive coaching.

Before NEET UG, the state admitted students to medical colleges largely on the basis of Class 12 board marks. Supporters of that system argue it reduced dependence on coaching centres and widened access to medical education.

Vijay has now embraced the same argument. His party says the solution is not simply fixing alleged irregularities but abolishing NEET altogether and giving states greater control over admissions and education policy.

CAN VIJAY ACTUALLY SCRAP NEET?

This is where politics meets constitutional reality.

No state government, including Tamil Nadu, can unilaterally abolish NEET UG. The exam is mandated through central law and upheld by the Supreme Court as the common entrance test for medical admissions across the country.

For Tamil Nadu to be exempted again, Parliament would have to amend the law or the state would need fresh legal or constitutional backing. That makes the issue far bigger than any single chief minister.

TVK has suggested another route by demanding that education be shifted from the Concurrent List to the State List, or that a Special Concurrent List be created to give states greater authority. Both ideas would require major constitutional and political changes.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR STUDENTS

For now, nothing changes for medical aspirants.

NEET remains mandatory for admission to MBBS and other undergraduate medical courses across India, including in Tamil Nadu. Students should continue preparing for the exam regardless of the political debate.

What Vijay's latest statement does signal is that Tamil Nadu's long-running battle over NEET is far from over. The faces at the top may have changed, but the state's message has not. The fight is no longer about whether Tamil Nadu opposes NEET. It is about whether that opposition can ever translate into law.

- Ends

Published On:

Jul 22, 2026 12:26 IST