What happened: Vijay urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek reconsideration of a common veterinary entrance exam

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ask the Veterinary Council of India to reconsider a planned common entrance examination for undergraduate veterinary sciences and animal husbandry admissions across veterinary colleges.

C. Joseph Vijay’s proposal includes a conditional fallback. If a common veterinary entrance examination is not conducted, C. Joseph Vijay suggested that State governments should use the NEET-UG merit list for admissions beginning with the 2026–27 academic year.

Background and earlier concerns: centralized exams, rural students, and barriers to entry

C. Joseph Vijay argued that veterinary sciences are closely linked to Tamil Nadu’s agriculture and rural economy. C. Joseph Vijay also argued that centralized entrance examinations can create entry-level barriers for students, especially students from rural backgrounds and disadvantaged groups.

C. Joseph Vijay recalled concerns linked to the National Testing Agency and NEET, including a paper leak. C. Joseph Vijay argued that high-stakes entrance-exam outcomes can be influenced by differences in access to coaching, financial resources, and repeated attempts rather than by merit reflected through school education.

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