Vijay Backs Anti-NEET Protests, Condemns Detention of Opposition Leaders and Calls for Education Reforms

Chennai, July 2026 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C. Joseph Vijay on Wednesday strongly criticised the police action against student protesters in New Delhi and condemned the detention of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders during demonstrations over the alleged NEET paper leak. Describing the crackdown as “undemocratic,” Vijay reiterated his party’s firm opposition to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and called for structural reforms in India’s education system.

In a statement posted on social media platform X, Vijay expressed solidarity with Opposition parties that staged protests inside the Parliament complex following the police action against demonstrators participating in the ‘Sansad Chalo’ march. He said the TVK stands firmly with students and those raising concerns over examination irregularities and transparency in the education system.

Reaffirming his party’s long-standing stand on NEET, Vijay said TVK has consistently demanded the permanent abolition of the medical entrance examination since its inception. He maintained that the party’s opposition to NEET was based on principle and not driven by electoral considerations.

According to Vijay, the examination has caused immense stress and hardship to students and their families, particularly those from economically weaker and rural backgrounds. He said the issue should not be reduced to political rhetoric but addressed through meaningful policy changes that protect the interests of students.

The Chief Minister argued that a lasting solution would require constitutional reforms by transferring education from the Concurrent List to the State List, thereby allowing individual states to formulate their own admission policies in accordance with local requirements.

Until such a constitutional amendment becomes possible, Vijay proposed that the Union government consider creating a Special Concurrent List for education. Such a mechanism, he suggested, would provide states with greater autonomy over school and medical education while ensuring flexibility in admission procedures.

He recalled that TVK had outlined both its long-term and interim proposals regarding education reforms during the party’s educational awards function and urged the Centre to respect the aspirations of students and the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu by withdrawing NEET.

Vijay’s statement comes amid growing protests across the country over allegations of question paper leaks, examination irregularities and demands for greater transparency in competitive examinations.

The nationwide demonstrations intensified after thousands of students, youth organisations and political activists participated in the ‘Sansad Chalo’ march in New Delhi, seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, justice for students allegedly affected by the NEET controversy and comprehensive reforms to the examination system.

The protest witnessed a heavy police presence, with authorities erecting barricades and detaining several demonstrators after they attempted to march towards Parliament. Among those detained were Rahul Gandhi and several Opposition leaders who joined the students’ protest.

In Tamil Nadu, political parties and student organisations also organised demonstrations condemning the police action in the national capital while renewing their long-standing demand for the abolition of NEET. Vijay’s remarks further reinforce Tamil Nadu’s continued opposition to the examination and add momentum to the broader national debate on education reforms and examination accountability.