CHENNAI: All parties in the Tamil Nadu Assembly — barring the BJP — on Tuesday voted to adopt resolutions urging the centre to abolish the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and transfer education to the State List, and to withdraw the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 in its present form.
Moving the resolution against NEET, Health Minister Dr KG Arunraj said TN had long championed social justice and questioned how a single day’s examination could judge students who had studied for years.
He noted that NEET has only helped private coaching centres flourish and expressed concerns over the deaths by suicides of students who could not secure MBBS admissions.
Arunraj also pointed to the NEET paper leak this year and the protests that followed, which forced the resignation of the union education minister.
Later, School Education Minister A Rajmohan moved the resolution urging the union government to withdraw the FCRA Bill, 2026, in its present form. He expressed concern over provisions that could allow the centre to take control of assets of charitable and other organisations run by minorities, particularly those involved in education, healthcare and social welfare.
He said the state government supports national security and transparency in the use of foreign funds, but such regulations should not infringe upon lawful property rights, natural justice, or the federal structure.
‘Provisions already in place to monitor foreign donations’
Minority community leaders had met Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday and raised concerns over the proposed changes, Rajmohan added.
During the discussion, MMK MLA MH Jawahirullah pointed out that several provisions, including Income Tax Act, are already there to monitor foreign donations and there is no need for an amendment to the FCRA. Agri SS Krishnamoorthy (AIADMK), Premalatha Vijayakant (DMDK), R Chellaswamy (CPM), S Austin (DMK), and TVK ministers AM Shahjahan and Vanni Arasu supported the resolution.
The lone BJP MLA M Bhojarajan opposed the resolution against NEET and walked out.
Prior to the unanimous adoption of the resolution against NEET, Sports Minister Aadhav Arjuna interrupted DMK MLA Dr V Muthuraja mid-response and alleged that NEET had been introduced in Parliament by then Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare S Gandhiselvan (DMK).
However, DMK whip EV Velu clarified that the NEET proposal was in fact moved by then Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad (INC). Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin also pointed out that NEET was not implemented in TN until 2017.
Former AIADMK minister and MLA OS Manian recalled that the Assembly had unanimously passed a similar resolution under former CM J Jayalalithaa. In 2017, under the AIADMK, the House had passed a bill to exempt the state from NEET for which presidential assent was not granted.
In 2021, under the DMK, the House passed another bill which was returned by the governor and passed again in 2022. In 2024, the House adopted a resolution urging immediate presidential assent for the bill and for NEET to be abolished nationally.
BJP MLA walks out
The lone BJP MLA, M Bhojarajan, opposed the resolution against NEET and walked out. However, when the resolution against FCRA was moved, he raised his views and remained silent during the voting