Anti-NEET demonstrations intensified across Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, 22 July, with student and youth organisations staging protests in multiple districts and demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). The agitation marked a sharp escalation in the state-wide campaign against the centralised medical entrance examination.

Coimbatore Demonstrations

In Coimbatore, activists of the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) — both affiliated with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) — organised a solidarity protest with students demonstrating in New Delhi. Protesters accused the Union government of failing to address concerns over the examination's integrity and alleged that the Centre had met peaceful protests with police action rather than dialogue.

Addressing the gathering, DYFI Coimbatore District Secretary Dinesh Raja criticised the Delhi Police for its action against protesters marching towards Parliament. He also condemned the arrest of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has reportedly been observing a hunger strike since 20 June, and demanded his immediate and unconditional release. Raja further called for action against police personnel accused of using excessive force against demonstrators near Jantar Mantar.

Police Detentions and Protest Curbs

The SFI and DYFI announced a 48-hour sit-in protest in Coimbatore as part of their intensified campaign. However, police intervened at the protest venue and detained several demonstrators before removing them from the site. The organisations also criticised the Tamil Nadu Police for detaining protesters during demonstrations held in Chennai, Madurai, and Mayiladuthurai in support of the nationwide anti-NEET movement.

Student leaders questioned why Tamil Nadu lacked a designated public protest venue comparable to New Delhi's Jantar Mantar, where citizens can assemble to voice democratic demands.

Chennai Agitation Enters Third Day

In Chennai, members of the CJP (Cockroach Janata Party) continued their agitation for the third consecutive day, maintaining pressure on the Union government over the NEET issue. Protesters staged demonstrations calling for the examination's abolition and urged the Centre to introduce an alternative admission system that they argued would be fairer to students nationwide.

Core Demands and Background

Protesters reiterated their demand for the complete abolition of NEET, arguing that admissions to medical colleges should be determined by marks obtained in the Class XII board examinations rather than through a centralised test. They claimed that the controversy surrounding NEET had allegedly resulted in the loss of several young lives across the country — a charge the Centre has not formally responded to, according to reports.

This is not the first time Tamil Nadu has been at the forefront of anti-NEET protests; the state has consistently pushed for an exemption from the centralised examination, and the latest wave of demonstrations signals that pressure on the Centre is far from subsiding.