NEET Is Not NEAT, It's Only About Market And Money: Tamil Nadu CM Stalin Amid Arrests Over Exam Scam

CM Stalin has strongly criticised the NEET exam once again, calling it a "moral scandal" and a "market" that favours money over merit.

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has once again criticised the NEET (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test), calling it a "market, not a merit-based system", following reports of a scam which revealed about parents of a candidate paying lakhs to manipulate NEET-UG scores.

He reiterated that NEET is not an exam that determines the eligibility for admission to MBBS. Sharing a post on X, CM Stalin termed NEET as a "moral scandal and a market that favours money over merit".

His comments came in response to fresh revelations of manipulation of NEET-UG 2024 scores, in which the CBI has recently arrested two persons in Mumbai.

Yet another case that proves NEET isn’t about merit; it’s only about the market. That’s why we’re saying it loud and clear, #NEETisnotNEAT, and we have every reason to.

தரம், தரம் என்றார்கள்!#NEET தேர்வின் ஆதி முதல் அந்தம் வரை பணம், பணம்தான் விளையாடுகிறது.

நீட் எனும்… https://t.co/IUGaBIGwQy

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) June 23, 2025

NEET, which is held annually for admission to medical courses, was conducted this year across the country on May 4. Meanwhile, reports surfaced that some people received money from the parents of a few aspirants in Maharashtra by promising that they would change their scores by giving them extra marks. Reportedly, two accused Sandeep Shah and Salim Patel were arrested by the CBI in connection with the scam where parents allegedly paid a whopping Rs 90 lakh each to increase their children's NEET marks. During questioning, the accused acknowledged that they have contacts within NEET administration and were promised score changes in exchange for huge amount of money.

CM Stalin, who has been opposing the "unfair" system of NEET, criticised saying, "NEET is all about money, money, from the beginning to the end. The NEET examination system itself is a moral scandal! As if that was not enough, in every stage, from the question paper, to the examination room, to the publication of the results, the exam is full of irregularities."

Taking a jibe at AIADMK, the chief minister said, "The AIADMK members, who have time to sit as showpieces at RSS-BJP conferences, have no time or dignity to raise their voices against these and speak to their masters!"