Tamil Nadu Announces Withdrawal of Cases Against Students in NEET Protests
The Tamil Nadu government has announced that it will withdraw all cases registered against students who participated in protests against the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). The decision was communicated by School Education Minister Rajmohan on Sunday (August 2, 2026).
In a post on the social media platform X, Mr. Rajmohan stated that the withdrawal of cases follows the direction of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay. He added that further details would be announced shortly.
The announcement comes amid nationwide demonstrations against NEET last week. Thousands of students and youth gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, calling for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who has since resigned. The protests also included several demands related to the examination system. Simultaneously, protests were held in various parts of Tamil Nadu, including flash demonstrations at a few locations and a continuous protest at Balan Ilm, the State headquarters of the Communist Party of India in Chennai.
During the demonstrations, police detained students at a few places for resorting to road blockades. The latest decision by the Tamil Nadu government aligns with similar moves by certain other State governments to withdraw cases against individuals involved in NEET protests.
Tamil Nadu has historically seen strong opposition to NEET, with political parties and student organisations arguing that the single entrance test disadvantages students from diverse educational backgrounds, particularly those from rural areas and State-board schools. The State has previously passed legislations to exempt itself from NEET, although these have faced legal challenges.
However, the government's latest step is specifically focused on those who participated in the recent protests. The exact number of cases and students affected has not been disclosed yet. The Minister's statement did not specify a timeline for the withdrawal process, but indicated that the government is committed to ensuring that students are not burdened by legal proceedings related to their participation in peaceful protests.
This move has been welcomed by student organisations and political parties that had been demanding the withdrawal of cases. They view it as a positive step towards addressing the concerns of students who had exercised their democratic right to protest.
The government's decision is expected to be formalised through the state's legal machinery, with procedures to identify and withdraw the relevant cases in due course. Further official communication is awaited.
