CHENNAI: Upping his ante against the National Eligibility-cumEntrance Test (NEET) for medical admission, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday said the BJP-led Union government has admitted that the test’s benefit is zero and it has nothing to do with merit.

On X, Stalin likened NEET to the guillotine and said:

“By reducing the NEET PG cut-off to ‘zero’, they are accepting that ‘eligibility’ in National ‘Eligibility’ Cum Entrance Test is meaningless. It’s just about coaching centres and paying for the exam. No more qualification is required.

“NEET = 0. NEET has nothing to do with merit, which we have been saying all along. It has become a mere formality, devoid of any real eligibility criteria (sic).

Accusing the Centre of remaining heartless despite losing so many precious lives, the CM said: “The BJP Govt must be removed just for causing loss of lives with the guillotine called#NEET.”

The TN government, which has been steadfastly opposing the NEET, has already passed Bills twice seeking exemption for the State from NEET. The latest Bill passed by the Assembly in this regard awaits the President’s nod. On Wednesday, Udhayanidhi Stalin alleged the Centre reducing the qualifying percentile for NEET PG 2023 to be eligible for counselling to zero has exposed the “conspiracy” of the national test.

By reducing the cut-off to ‘zero’, the Centre has accepted that ‘eligibility’ test is meaningless