CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin announced on Friday that the Assembly resolution seeking exemption from NEET for the state has been declined by the Centre, news agency PTI reported.
The resolution, which was sent for Presidential assent, has been rejected.

Despite this setback, Stalin reaffirmed the state’s commitment to abolishing the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and revealed that an all-party meeting has been scheduled for April 9 to discuss the next steps.
Calling the rejection a “dark chapter in federalism,” Stalin, while addressing the Assembly, accused the Centre of disregarding both the will of the people of Tamil Nadu and the Assembly’s decision.
“Despite the Tamil Nadu government providing all necessary clarifications through various ministries, the Union government has now rejected the request for NEET exemption,” he stated.
Last year, Stalin wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to exempt the state from conducting NEET for medical college admissions.
In his letter to PM Modi, Stalin advocated for using Class 12 marks as the sole criterion for professional course admissions, arguing that it would ease unnecessary stress on students.
Stalin’s appeal came amid a nationwide uproar over NEET paper leak cases, which led to a CBI investigation and a crackdown on those involved in exam irregularities.
‘The NEET controversy‘
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG 2024, a crucial exam for medical aspirants in India, was mired in controversy last year due to allegations of question paper leaks, the awarding of “grace marks,” and other systemic concerns. These issues triggered legal battles that continued for nearly two months.
On July 23, the Supreme Court delivered its verdict on the NEET case, rejecting petitions seeking the cancellation and re-conduct of the exam. The court ruled that there was no systemic failure in the NEET UG 2024 process.
While it acknowledged instances of question paper leaks in Hazaribagh and Patna, it concluded that the overall results remained unaffected.
Following the Supreme Court’s decision, the union education minister welcomed the verdict. However, discontent over NEET persists in several states. A day after the ruling, the West Bengal Assembly passed a resolution advocating for scrapping NEET in favor of a state-based medical entrance test.
This move follows Karnataka’s recent Cabinet resolution opposing NEET. Similarly, last month, the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution urging the Union Government to exempt the state from NEET.