In a letter to the Chief Minister, the signatories have said the mandatory nationwide NEET system had serious implications for federalism, educational autonomy, social justice and equal opportunity. However, Section 14 of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, which mandates a uniform NEET for medical admissions, had substantially curtailed the States’ role in selecting students for medical education, they said. The NEET had diminished the importance of school education by making two years of sustained academic effort subordinate to performance in a single examination, they said. The letter also referred to controversies over alleged question paper leaks, examination irregularities and the reliability of scores, arguing that these had weakened public confidence in the centralised examination system. They urged the government to consult students, parents, teachers, educationists, medical experts, social justice organisations and political parties, and coordinate with other States opposed to the NEET.