Tamil Nadu renews NEET abolition demand, seeks Class 12 marks for medical admissions

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has reiterated the state government's opposition to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), urging the Centre to consider Class 12 examination marks as the basis for admission to medical and other higher education courses.

The state government conveyed its position during a meeting with Nandan Nilekani, chairman of the Union government's High-Powered Task Force on examination reforms, at the Secretariat on Nov 4.

According to an official release, Tamil Nadu told the panel that admissions to medical and other higher education programs should be determined through Class 12 board examination scores rather than NEET or similar entrance tests.

The meeting was attended by other members of the task force, including IIT-Madras Director V Kamakoti, former Union Education Secretary Anita Karwal and EkStep Foundation CEO Shankar Maruwada.

During the discussion, the state government also referred to the unanimous resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Aug 11, 2026, opposing NEET. Reaffirming its position, the state recommended scrapping NEET and similar entrance examinations for admission to medical and other courses.

The meeting comes as the Centre reviews India's public examination system amid concerns over examination security, irregularities and the conduct of competitive tests.

The Union government constituted the six-member High-Powered Task Force in July 2026 under Nilekani's chairmanship. The panel was assigned the responsibility of recommending comprehensive reforms in public examinations, including those conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).

Centre extends Nilekani-led task force tenure until January 2027

The Union government has extended the tenure of the High-Powered Task Force until January 2027, allowing the panel additional time to consult stakeholders and finalize its recommendations.

The task force has received more than 50,000 suggestions from students, parents, teachers, academic institutions, subject experts and examination-conducting bodies.

Initially, the panel was expected to submit its report by October 2026. However, its examination reform exercise has continued, with discussions covering examination security, institutional accountability and transparency in the testing process.

The recommendations are expected to address existing concerns in the public examination system and identify measures to make competitive examinations more reliable and accessible.

Will NEET-UG become a computer-based examination from 2027?

One of the major issues being examined by the task force is the proposed transition of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Undergraduate (NEET-UG) from the existing pen-and-paper format to computer-based testing (CBT).

The Centre had previously announced plans to introduce the online examination format from 2027. However, recent reports indicate that a complete transition could take longer than initially anticipated.

Infrastructure requirements and concerns raised by different states are among the issues still under consideration. As a result, the examination format for NEET-UG 2027 has not been conclusively settled.

The proposed changes would involve preparing the necessary infrastructure to conduct the examination online across the country. The transition is also expected to require arrangements that can accommodate candidates appearing from different regions.

Separately, a parliamentary standing committee on education has recommended introducing computer-based testing in phases. Its recommendations include establishing at least 1,000 government-owned testing centers across the country.

What other examination reforms is the task force considering?

Apart from the proposed shift to computer-based testing, the Nilekani-led panel is examining several measures to strengthen the country's examination infrastructure and improve the conduct of public examinations.

One of the key areas under consideration is question-paper security. The proposed measures include developing secure digital question banks to reduce vulnerabilities in the examination process.

The task force is also reviewing ways to improve institutional accountability and strengthen the National Testing Agency's organizational framework. These measures are intended to address concerns surrounding the management and administration of competitive examinations.

The panel's broader examination reform agenda includes the following areas:

• Strengthening question-paper security and developing secure digital question banks.
• Improving examination infrastructure and arrangements for conducting public tests.
• Exploring the use of technology to make examination processes more efficient and secure.
• Strengthening the institutional framework and functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA).
• Improving accessibility for candidates from different geographical regions and backgrounds.
• Making the examination process more transparent and accountable.
• Introducing measures to safeguard students' well-being during the examination process.

The Centre has said the exercise aims to establish a robust, secure, transparent and equitable public examination system.

With its tenure extended until January 2027, the six-member task force is expected to complete its consultations and submit its recommendations by the revised deadline.

The recommendations could guide future changes to the country's public examination framework, including the systems followed by the NTA.