Tamil Nadu orders withdrawal of 65 cases against anti-NEET protesters
The state government will initiate legal steps to drop charges against approximately 1,800 people involved in protests held between May and July.
The Tamil Nadu government has directed the start of legal processes to drop 65 criminal cases filed against roughly 1,800 individuals. According to The New Indian Express, these people participated in demonstrations against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) across the state between May 10 and July 31, 2026.
The decision follows instructions from Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. An official statement noted that the Chief Minister was informed about the status and details of the cases involving the protesters.
The 65 cases were filed at different police stations and are currently at various stages of legal proceedings. The state government reviewed the matter and ordered the immediate commencement of procedures to withdraw the charges.
The protests demanded the scrapping of the NEET examination, which is conducted by the National Testing Agency for medical course admissions. The ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government has supported the demand to scrap the test and has proposed using Class 12 marks for medical admissions in the state.