Chennai: The newly elected Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) authorities led by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has come underneath extreme criticism for remaining silent on the continuing nationwide protests demanding the resignation of Union Schooling Minister Dharmendra Pradhan within the wake of the leaked NEET-UG 2026 paperwork.
Tamil Nadu has persistently opposed the NEET examination for over 9 years, however questions at the moment are being solid on the federal government as Mr. Vijay has not publicly prolonged his assist to the Delhi scholar motion. The Cockroach Janta Celebration (CJP), which remains to be protesting at Jantar Mantar, has questioned the central authorities over the leak of the paper and the suicides of round 20 college students.
NEET-related suicides have additionally been reported in Tamil Nadu since 2017. In keeping with state authorities knowledge, at the very least 26 related deaths had been reported within the state between 2017 and 2024, both as a result of concern of failing, suspicion of dishonest or strain to carry out properly on exams.
Mr. Vijay, who throughout his election marketing campaign had repeatedly appealed to the nation to oppose NEET and prioritize the pursuits of rural and underprivileged college students, is now dealing with accusations of contradiction.
The criticism appears to have first began with a promotional video for his new film that he launched on Monday. Yana Supervisor, Whereas remaining silent in response to the protests.
Moreover, on Tuesday, police detained Tamil Nadu rapper Arivu, who tried to stage a protest close to the Tamil Nadu State Secretariat in Chennai demanding the scrapping of the NEET examination. Whereas being interrogated by the police, Alib requested, “Why is Chief Minister Vijay silent now when all of India is on fireplace?I need to meet him and speak to him.”
After being detained, Alib was taken together with TVK Minister Aadhav Arjun to fulfill Chief Minister Vijay. Nevertheless, the TVK authorities has not commented on the protests to date.
ThePrint contacted TVK spokesperson Felix Gerard by cellphone. This report will probably be up to date if a response is obtained.
DMK chief Udhayanidhi Stalin condemned Alib’s detention, saying, “The voices raised in opposition to NEETs shouldn’t be silenced and need to be heard.”
“The TVK authorities has chosen to arrest Mr. Alib within the midst of CJP-led rallies and protests in opposition to NEET gaining momentum throughout the nation. This sends a worrying message to the youth of Tamil Nadu who’re considering of taking to the streets in solidarity with the youth demonstrating in Delhi in opposition to NEET. NEET will not be solely stuffed with contradictions, it has turn out to be a rip-off,” he wrote in X.
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Constant opposition to NEET in Tamil Nadu
Resistance in Tamil Nadu to NEET started quickly after its introduction, with the state arguing that the intensive examination deprived college students of ethnic Tamil background who relied on native, authorities faculty, and state board syllabuses. Earlier than NEET, admission to medical programs was based on class 12 marks, and this method was seen as selling social justice and fairness.
Anti-NEET sentiment intensified when S. Anitha, a 17-year-old Dalit lady from Ariyalur district, stated: died by suicide. In 2017, Anitha secured 1,176 out of 1,200 marks in her class 12 examination, which might have secured her a health care provider’s seat underneath the previous system. Nevertheless, she couldn’t cross the NEET examination.
{The teenager}, who dreamed of changing into a health care provider, knocked on the door of the Supreme Courtroom arguing that NEET was unfair to deprived college students from rural areas.
Anitha died by suicide on September 1, 2017, 9 days after the Supreme Courtroom upheld NEET and rejected Tamil Nadu’s exemption petition. Anitha’s loss of life sparked widespread protests throughout the state, and she or he turned an emblem of resistance to exams. This additional heightened political discourse in opposition to the NEET, with all events, besides the Bharatiya Janata Celebration, demanding exemption or abolition of the NEET.
Anisa’s household has rejected authorities compensation, highlighting systemic failures.
language NEET issues in Tamil Nadu
Regardless of an preliminary enhance, the variety of medium-level Tamil NEET registrations has confronted a relative decline in recent times. As English continues to dominate, college students from a impartial Tamil background are much less prone to persistently select NEET papers in regional languages.
Within the Tamil NEET examination, the variety of candidates elevated considerably from 17,101 in 2020 to 36,333 in 2024, however the variety of candidates who selected the Tamil query set peaked at 36,335 in 2024 and sharply decreased to 26,580 in 2025. Though the variety of registrants in 2026 elevated barely to 29,845, the variety of registrants was nonetheless considerably decrease. 2024 degree.
This decline displays the declining accessibility of Tamil college students from authorities and rural backgrounds, regardless of the perceived dominance of English for increased alternatives, and highlights the persevering with challenges in sustaining linguistic variety in aggressive exams like NEET.
Criticism of the silence of protests
Political analysts argue that TVK’s silence is to keep away from direct confrontation with the Middle whereas pursuing long-term national-level options and prioritizing urgent points resembling farmers’ packages and inside controls.
Political analyst Sunil Kumar informed ThePrint: “TVK took the identical stand as DMK relating to NEET.” He says he’s in opposition to the take a look at. Earlier than the elections, TVK referred to as the BJP an ideological enemy. However Mr. Vijay has by no means brazenly criticized the Middle on any main situation. Though he’s targeted on nationwide politics and is positioning TVK as a change agent in Tamil Nadu, he has not made any such try nationally. Mr. Vijay wants to provide a transparent stand on Tamil Nadu on NEET, however he has chosen to be pragmatic about it and has circuitously questioned the BJP. ”
educators and analysts ThePrint spoke They consider it is a tough time for college students to voice their issues publicly, however added that the present scenario: schooling system That is very unlucky and requires main reform. Nevertheless, the state stays in standby mode.
Jayaprakash Gandhi, a profession advisor and schooling analyst, stated, “Tamil Nadu is at present in a wait-and-see scenario. The federal government could not have reacted to the protests as a result of a number of components, however the state has not accepted NEET for a few years and needs to abolish it.”
Some interpret TVK’s silence as a betrayal of pre-election guarantees and Tamil Nadu’s legacy of resistance, particularly given Vijay’s star energy and exam-related scholar suicides. Because the NEET controversy continues throughout the nation, strain is mounting on the TVK authorities to make clear its stand and act on the opposition it has expressed.
Educator Prince Gajendra Babu stated Mr. Vijay’s silence was unlucky. “All through his election marketing campaign, Mr. Vijay had clearly projected himself as somebody who was in opposition to NEET and championed justice for college students. Even after the elections, he continued to take care of his anti-NEET stand. However now, when there may be such an enormous motion, he’s silent,” he stated.
He additional informed ThePrint: “Each the AIADMK and DMK governments, whether or not in energy or not, are in opposition to NEET and this clearly signifies that Tamil Nadu’s stand is in opposition to NEET. The chief minister’s silence casts doubt on that. Mr. Vijay’s failure to say something about this will probably be seen as a betrayal by the individuals of Tamil Nadu. We anticipated him to make use of his reputation to provide significance to nationwide points on the nationwide degree. Mr. Vijay will not be utilizing his public attraction for the good thing about the scholars.”
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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