Manickam Tagore Leads Massive NEET Exam Protests in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu minister Rajeshkumar reported that a large-scale protest against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is being organised under the leadership of Manickam Tagore, head of the Kong Grass party. The demonstrators argue that NEET has deepened educational inequality, citing rising fee structures—from about ₹18,000 in 2016 to between ₹2 lakh and ₹3 lakh today— and a surge in student suicides, with 37 cases linked to the exam.

According to the minister, the protest highlights the distress of rural and marginalised students, who feel disadvantaged by a system designed for urban and affluent candidates. Tagore’s movement seeks to pressure the state government to reconsider the exam’s role and to restore parity in the education system across Tamil Nadu.