AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami has once again taken a sharp dig at the ruling DMK, accusing it of betraying the people of Tamil Nadu by failing to fulfil its promise of abolishing the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). Speaking at a public gathering in Tirunelveli, EPS questioned why the DMK, despite repeatedly vowing during its election campaigns to scrap NEET, has not taken concrete action since coming to power. He pointed out that DMK leaders, including Chief Minister MK Stalin, had publicly stated that their first act in office would be to cancel the exam.
EPS particularly targeted Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, challenging him to finally reveal the much-talked-about “secret” that the DMK had claimed would enable them to scrap NEET. He remarked sarcastically that if such a secret really exists, now would be the time to share it with the people. This reference to the “secret” stems from a claim made by Udhayanidhi during the 2021 Assembly election campaign, where he hinted that the DMK had a special strategy to abolish NEET once in power.
This isn’t the first time EPS has raised the issue. As early as March 2025, he had called on both MK Stalin and Udhayanidhi to take moral responsibility for the rising number of student suicides linked to NEET stress, accusing them of spreading false hope and misleading students and their families.
EPS reiterated that the DMK’s promises around NEET were nothing but electoral rhetoric designed to win votes. His criticism has been consistent: that the government has not only failed to deliver on its assurances but has also evaded accountability.
His recent remarks reflect a broader frustration among opposition parties and sections of the public who feel betrayed by the unfulfilled promise. While the DMK has made efforts in the Assembly to oppose NEET and even passed resolutions against it, the legal and constitutional limitations have so far prevented any decisive change.
EPS’s repeated calls for clarity and action aim to keep the pressure on the ruling party, especially as Tamil Nadu continues to witness emotional debates and tragic incidents linked to the controversial medical entrance exam.
