DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Centre during the Lok Sabha debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, describing the proposed legislation as a "cosmetic fix" that fails to address the deeper problems plaguing India's examination system.
Demanding the complete abolition of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), Maran argued that the examination had failed both students and the system it was designed to strengthen.
"Ban NEET. Abolish it," Maran said, urging the government to move beyond legislative amendments and undertake structural reforms in medical education.
Drawing an analogy, the DMK leader said the Bill merely attempted to manage the consequences of a flawed system rather than eliminate the causes behind repeated examination irregularities.
"This Bill is like putting springs on ceiling fans so they come down when students try to hang themselves. It doesn't address the core issue. It is only a cosmetic fix," he said.
Maran argued that recurring paper leaks and the distress faced by students reflected systemic failures that could not be resolved through stricter penal provisions alone.
Expanding his criticism beyond the proposed legislation, the former Union Minister questioned the Centre's handling of medical education and infrastructure, citing the continued delay in operationalising the Madurai AIIMS project.
He also highlighted what he described as serious inconsistencies in postgraduate medical admissions, pointing out that candidates were reportedly securing PG NEET seats with negative percentile scores, even as several seats in private medical colleges remained vacant.
Questioning the government's policy, Maran asked why the number of postgraduate medical seats had not been increased to meet growing demand despite the persistent shortage of specialists.
Reiterating his opposition to NEET, the DMK MP maintained that the entrance examination had failed to achieve its intended objectives and said the proposed anti-paper leak legislation did little to restore confidence among students.
"NEET has failed both the students and the examination system. This Bill does not address the fundamental issues affecting medical education," Maran said.
The remarks came during a heated debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, with Opposition parties questioning the government's response to repeated paper leak controversies and demanding broader reforms to ensure transparency, fairness and credibility in the country's examination system.
