"Ban NEET": DMK President MK Stalin reiterates call for abolition of medical entrance exam

Chennai: Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalin on Friday reiterated his demand for the abolition of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), saying the DMK's campaign against the medical entrance examination would continue until it is scrapped.

Sharing a post by DMK leader TRB Rajaa on X, Stalin wrote, "#BanNEET".

Rajaa, in his post, said the DMK's campaign against NEET had been "consistent, uncompromising and relentless".


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"The DMK's crusade against NEET is consistent, uncompromising and relentless. We didn't just join the fight. We started it. We never left it. We will stay on course till we #BanNEET," Rajaa said.

Stalin's remarks came amid ongoing protests in Delhi over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 examination, with the Opposition demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and a detailed discussion on the issue in the Parliament Monsoon session.

Earlier on Thursday, Stalin had said NEET had failed to fulfil its three principal promises of reducing students' burden, eliminating commercialisation and improving standards, and alleged that the examination had merely shifted the centre of learning from schools to coaching centres.

"The problem with NEET has always been structural, not merely procedural. Recent events have vindicated that concern," Stalin had said in a post on X.

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He had also called the ongoing student protests a "wake-up call" for the Union Government and urged it to "trust the states" and abolish NEET.

Stalin had further said that the abolition of NEET should be at the centre of the ongoing protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

"The students' protest in New Delhi has now captured the attention of the entire country. We were the first to warn that NEET was designed to enable large-scale irregularities. That is why the DMK has opposed NEET from the very beginning, consistently pointing out the dangers it poses," he had said.

Meanwhile, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Friday said its protest at Jantar Mantar would continue until the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, even as activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike after receiving a written assurance from the Union Government on the NEET examination issue and systemic reforms.

In a post on X, CJP said, "We are relieved and grateful that Sonam sir has ended his hunger strike after 26 days. Protest will continue at Jantar Mantar till the resignation of Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan."

The CJP delegation is scheduled to meet Union Ministers at 12.30 PM on Friday for discussions on the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and reforms in the examination system.

Wangchuk ended his hunger strike on Friday in the presence of Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh at Medanta Hospital after receiving the written assurance.

"The Ministers who came from the government's side also provided this assurance. For the past two days, a very tough--how shall I say--a kind of 'bargain' was going on because I wanted these assurances in writing. It took two extra days for this, and I would have sat longer if needed, but finally, today, they have given the assurance in writing," Wangchuk said.

Meanwhile, the Opposition has continued to demand Pradhan's resignation and a detailed discussion on the alleged NEET paper leak during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.

Earlier, PM Modi had assured strict action against those responsible for alleged paper leaks and said the Union Cabinet would consider a draft Bill providing for Fast-Track Courts and stringent punishment for offenders.