India News | Banning NEET Will Be Long-term Solution: Tamil Nadu Minister After Dharmendra Pradhan's Resignation
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Tamil Nadu Minister CTR Nirmal Kumar on Saturday welcomed the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as a victory for students but said it was not enough to address concerns surrounding the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), reiterating the state's long-standing demand for the examination to be scrapped.
Madurai (Tamil Nadu) [India], July 25 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Minister CTR Nirmal Kumar on Saturday welcomed the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as a victory for students but said it was not enough to address concerns surrounding the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), reiterating the state's long-standing demand for the examination to be scrapped.
Kumar also called for education to be brought under the jurisdiction of state governments, arguing that the authority over education should rest with the states rather than the Centre.
Also Read | ‘Next Decade is India's', Dinesh Karthik Reacts To Dharmendra Pradhan’s Resignation as Education Minister.
Speaking to reporters, Kumar said, "This resignation alone is not the solution. Definitely, it is the result of the peaceful protest by the students... But this resignation alone is not the solution for what we are asking. All of us wanted to ban NEET, and we don't want NEET. Education should not be with the central premises; all the rights should be transferred to the state premises... With this resignation, they should not subsidise other records and banning NEET will be the long-term solution. It is a victory for students, and definitely we welcome it..."
Meanwhile, protesters were seen celebrating in Chennai following the announcement of Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.
Also Read | CJP's Updated Demands After Dharmendra Pradhan Resignation – Check List.
The developments come after Pradhan announced that he was stepping down from his position in the larger interest of students, stating that he did not want the country's youth to remain "trapped in a web of confusion."
In his resignation letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pradhan referred to his long association with the education sector and reaffirmed his commitment to educational reforms and the aspirations of students across the country.
"For more than four decades, I have been associated with students, teachers, and the cause of education reform. I have always believed that a strong, inclusive, and forward-looking education system is the foundation of a strong nation," Pradhan said in his resignation letter.
Referring to the controversy surrounding the NEET-UG examination, Pradhan said the Union government had acted promptly after irregularities came to light in the examination conducted on May 3, 2026.
"However, irregularities were found in the NEET-UG examination held on May 3, 2026. The Government of India immediately took cognisance of the matter, handed over the investigation to the CBI, cancelled the examination, and announced a date for the re-examination. Along with this, it was decided that from next year onwards, the examination would be conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode," he said.
The political developments come a day after spokespersons of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has been spearheading protests over the paper leak, met Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh to discuss the concerns raised by students and protesters. (ANI)
(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)