TN assembly urges Centreto allow students to medical courses based on Plus Two exam marks(Express Photo/Representation Image)
Unanimously passing a resolution against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) on Friday, the Tamil Nadu Assembly urged the central government to scrap the test on a national level and approve the state’s NEET exemption Bill.
The development comes at a time when alleged irregularities over this year’s NEET medical entrance test has kicked up a massive political storm. The resolution, proposed by Chief Minister MK Stalin, once again reiterates the state’s longstanding objection to the exam.
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Friday’s resolution called for the abolition of the NEET examination system, which it described as “severely affecting the medical education opportunities of rural and underprivileged students and making school education unnecessary”. “The Union Government should immediately approve the NEET exemption draft bill unanimously passed by this Legislative Assembly to admit medical students based on 12th-grade marks. Given that several states are now opposing this examination system which has led to numerous malpractices, the Union Government should amend the National Medical Commission Act to abolish the NEET system at the national level,” the resolution said.
The NEET exemption Bill, formally called the Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Medical Degree Courses Bill, 2021, proposes making Class 12 marks the criteria for medical school admissions. A major flashpoint between the DMK government and the office of the Tamil Nadu Governor, it is currently pending approval from the President of India. In his speech, Stalin said that the widespread irregularities vindicated Tamil Nadu’s opposition to the medical entrance exam. According to him, introduction of NEET in 2017 had drastically altered the landscape of medical education in the state. “…Rural and underprivileged students who cannot attend coaching classes are unable to succeed in this exam,” he said, adding that the national entrance exam would make it difficult for students in rural areas to pursue a medical education.
Arun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express. Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority.
Expertise
Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews.
Key Coverage Areas:
State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor.
Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties.
Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu.
Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail.
His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism.
Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More
