'Dark chapter in federalism': MK Stalin hits out at Centre after anti-NEET Bill rejected

NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK supremo MK Stalin on Friday informed the assembly that the state's Bill seeking exemption from the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) has been rejected by the Centre after being sent for Presidential assent. Terming the rejection a "dark chapter in federalism," Stalin said the state would continue its fight against NEET and announced an all-party meeting on April 9 to discuss the next steps.
"The rejection is a dark chapter in federalism," Stalin said, expressing disappointment over the Centre’s decision. He accused the Union government of ignoring the will of the people of Tamil Nadu and the unanimous decision of the State Assembly.
The Bill, originally passed in 2021 and re-adopted in 2022 after being returned by governor RN Ravi, proposed that admissions to medical courses in Tamil Nadu be based solely on Class 12 marks, rather than the NEET entrance exam.
"Despite the Tamil Nadu government furnishing all necessary clarifications through various ministries, the Union government has now rejected the exemption from NEET," Stalin said in the Assembly.
He added that NEET had made it harder for students from poor and rural backgrounds to pursue medical education, which would, in turn, impact healthcare services in backward areas of the state.
The NEET debate has remained emotionally charged in Tamil Nadu, where several aspirants have died by suicide in recent years, including S Anita in 2017 — a case that sparked widespread outrage.
The AIADMK, BJP, and other opposition parties used the occasion to hit out at the DMK. Leader of the opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami accused the DMK of misleading the public on the NEET issue.
“The DMK came to power in 2021 promising to cancel NEET. Deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin even said he knew the secret to abolish it. But nothing has been done. Now, the chief minister has called for an all-party meeting. How long will the DMK continue to deceive the people?” Palaniswami asked, speaking to the media after his party staged a walkout over a separate issue.
Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai said the DMK’s "NEET drama" had come to an end with the President’s rejection of the Bill. "The chapter is closed," he said, adding that the state can no longer blame the Governor or the President.
“I challenge the chief minister — go to the Supreme Court. If you have the courage, fight it legally. NEET was implemented because of the apex court’s ruling, and the DMK knows it,” Annamalai said, speaking to reporters in Coimbatore.
He further claimed the DMK would not approach the court, knowing the origins of NEET lay in the Supreme Court’s own judgments.
With the rejection now official, all eyes will be on the DMK-led government’s next move as pressure mounts from political opponents and the public alike.