The leak of the NEET-UG 2026 exam paper has sent shockwaves across the country, with many state governments now urging the Center to scrap the exam altogether and allow states to conduct their own entrance exams for admission to medical colleges.
The strongest voices urging the Center to do away with NEET came from the southern states.
On Saturday, the Karnataka government asked the Center to scrap the NEET-UG exam from the academic year 2026 and restore the power of states to conduct their own common entrance tests.
Minister of State for Medical Education Sharan Prakash Patil said at a press conference in Bengaluru that the NEET paper leak was a “grave injustice” to the students. He also accused the Narendra Modi government of “sabotaging” the future of those who dream of becoming doctors one day.
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Karnataka CET is a much better model than NEET and should be adopted nationally. The state has on several occasions urged the Center to consider it, but these appeals have gone unheeded, he said.
What Tamil Nadu, Kerala Govts say
A similar view was expressed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay, who said the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 exams revealed a “structural flaw” in the system. He also reiterated the stand of his predecessor, MP Stalin, asking the Center to allow state governments to conduct their own entrance exams.
The TN CM said that since its introduction, NEET has “severely disadvantaged students from rural areas, government schools, Tamil medium backgrounds and socio-economically disadvantaged families”, as per a TOI report. Vijay also called for states to be empowered to allow admissions to medical colleges on the basis of Class 12 results.
On Thursday, VD Satheesan, the CM-designate of Kerala, said that the state will not conduct the NEET exams. “We will make suggestions. We don’t conduct NEET exams, they are conducted at the all-India level. We will check it and give suggestions to the concerned authorities,” he said, according to ANI.
Rahul Gandhi wants Dharmendra Pradhan fired
Amid the paper leak controversy, Rahul Gandhi in a video statement on Saturday demanded the sacking of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
“The whole country knows that two days before NEET, her question paper was distributed on WhatsApp. Dharmendra Pradhan is telling her that he has nothing to do with the matter. The (Parliamentary) committee made a recommendation but he trashed it on the pretext that there are opposition people in the committee and it is of no use,” Gandhi said in a statement.
“The truth is that you (the government) have damaged the core of India. This is a combination of RSS, BJP and their people who have been installed in universities, vice-chancellors and professors to mint money,” added the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
“The whole country knows that if you want to become a vice-chancellor of a university, you don’t need industry knowledge, experience, you just need to be from the RSS,” he said, adding, “That’s why exam papers have been leaked 80 times in this country and the future of two million youths has been ruined.”
“The Prime Minister should immediately order that Dharmendra Pradhan be fired and the people who are guilty of this be jailed,” Gandhi said.
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In a post on X along with the video, Gandhi said, “2.2 million NEET aspirants have been betrayed. Yet Modi ji has not uttered a single word. Remove Dharmendra Pradhan ji immediately or take responsibility yourself. Modi ji, DROP Dharmendra Pradhan ji NOW.”
In another post in Hindi, Gandhi said, “Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan betrayed 22 lakh NEET candidates. Moreover, he insulted Parliament itself – by rejecting a parliamentary committee report only because it included opposition MPs.”
