Chennai: Agitations demanding the complete abolition of NEET intensified across Tamil Nadu on Thursday, with student outfits and political activists staging coordinated demonstrations in Chennai, Madurai and Erode.
The escalation of protests in Tamil Nadu comes amid broader unrest in the national capital, where demonstrations continue over allegations of question paper leaks and administrative lapses in the recent NEET examination.
Members of the Students' Federation of India and the Democratic Youth Federation of India blocked a railway track in Thiruparankundram, Madurai, demanding that NEET be scrapped and that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resign.
Police sources said protesters blocked a train after it arrived at Thiruparankundram, leading to a tense scuffle and physical pushing and shoving between police and the student demonstrators on the tracks.
Similarly, SFI and DYFI members were arrested after blocking a road near the Erode district collectorate.
Following their detention, several protesters alleged police high-handedness, with male activists reporting that they were physically assaulted inside police vehicles.
A group of college students also staged a sit-in protest at the CPI office in solidarity with the demonstrators at Jantar Mantar, demanding that the Centre take immediate steps to scrap NEET altogether.
Protesters said that sustained, grassroots-led mobilisation was the only way forward, and criticised the Centre for staying silent on the issue despite widespread public concern, vowing to continue their agitation.
The students warned that centralised competitive exams put state-board students at a systemic disadvantage, and demanded a return to merit-based admissions governed by individual state policies.
While Bollywood stars Alia Bhatt and Salman Khan voiced their support online, South India's film fraternity took a more direct route, hitting the streets of Chennai in protest.
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Leading Tamil filmmakers Pa Ranjith, Vetrimaaran and Ameer led a major anti-NEET demonstration at Rajarathinam Stadium in Egmore. The protest was organised in response to the nationwide student agitation over alleged irregularities and paper leaks in the NEET exam.
The filmmakers alleged that the NEET system was crushing the medical aspirations of students and demanded it be abolished entirely, with admissions restored on the basis of state board marks.
They strongly condemned the police action and arrests of students and young people engaged in peaceful protest.
Earlier, speaking to reporters, Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Rajmohan said the state government would support students protesting peacefully on the NEET issue.
"The Tamil Nadu government's stand has always been that there should be no NEET examination. Abolishing NEET is the only permanent solution," he said.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, posting on X, said that "irrespective of the different views taken by different sections of the people, the Education Minister stepping down would certainly help defuse the situation."
"The true purpose of entrance exams like NEET is to shatter the higher education dreams - including medical education - of the poor, underprivileged, oppressed, rural and government school students. The DMK will always stand at the forefront, sword in hand, as an army to break down that barrier," said Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin in his post.
Police have shut all routes leading to Marina Beach to prevent protesters from gathering.
Police sources said security had been tightened and key entry and exit points blocked after authorities received information that students might hold a protest against NEET there.
