Actor-politician Kamal Haasan on Sunday strongly criticised the NEET medical entrance exam, claiming it has denied education to thousands of students from underprivileged backgrounds in Tamil Nadu.
Speaking at the 15th anniversary celebrations of actor Suriya’s Agaram Foundation, Haasan said NEET disproportionately benefits wealthier, urban students who can afford private coaching, while disadvantaging rural and government school students — even those with high board marks.
“Since 2017, NEET has denied education to so many children. Even Agaram Foundation can’t undo the damage. Education is not just a weapon; it is the chisel that can sculpt the nation,” he said.
Haasan urged people to resist authoritarianism and “Sanatana ideology” through knowledge, not confrontation. “Don’t take anything else in your hands. Majoritarian idiots will defeat you. Knowledge will lose unless we stand together,” he warned.
Tamil Nadu has long opposed NEET, arguing it undermines the state’s earlier board-marks-based admission system. The BJP-led Centre defends NEET, saying it ensures merit-based admissions and prevents the sale of medical seats.
Actor Suriya highlighted that Agaram Foundation has helped over 6,000 poor students access higher education, many of them orphans.
The NEET debate remains deeply political in Tamil Nadu, with opposition leaders urging a return to the pre-NEET admission model.
