{
  "id": 276563,
  "title": "DMK reiterates demand to scrap NEET",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/07/dmk-reiterates-demand-to-scrap-neet",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-07T18:41:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/dmk-reiterates-demand-to-scrap-neet/article71277975.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Dravidian Progressive Alliance (DMK) reasserted its call to abolish the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, contending that recent amendments to the anti-paper leak law do not resolve the fundamental issue of the medical entrance examination. During the debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, DMK Member of Parliament Dayanidhi Maran lamented that Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed NEET since its inception and accused the central government of disregarding the state's concerns. Claiming that 26 students in Tamil Nadu had taken their own lives due to the pressure of the examination, Maran urged the scrapping of NEET, arguing that it favored coaching centers while disadvantaging first-generation learners and students from state boards. He questioned NEET's ability to improve the quality of doctors, reduce infant mortality, strengthen rural healthcare, or address the scarcity of doctors, citing the disproportionate ratio of approximately 22 lakh candidates appearing for NEET annually to 1.39 lakh medical seats. Maran also highlighted alleged irregularities in the examinations, such as those in 2024 and 2026. NCP Member of Parliament Supriya Sule joined the discussion, urging the government to address the issue with empathy, compassion, and sensitivity and proposed holding an all-party meeting and establishing a Joint Parliamentary Committee to investigate the controversy.",
  "summary": "The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has reiterated its demand to scrap the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) in the Lok Sabha, arguing that proposed amendments to the anti-paper leak law do not address the core issue of the medical entrance examination itself. During a debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran accused the Centre of ignoring Tamil Nadu's concerns over NEET, citing that 26 students in the state had died by suicide due to the examination. Maran alleged that NEET disadvantaged first-generation learners and students from State boards while benefiting coaching centres, and questioned the examination's impact on the quality of doctors, infant mortality, rural healthcare, and the shortage of doctors.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}