31st Southern Zonal Council Meeting: A Platform for Regional Federal Concerns
At the 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting held in Mamallapuram, Union Home Minister Amit Shah presided over a high-level conference featuring chief ministers and senior delegates from across Southern India. Making a prominent appearance at the council, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay utilized the platform to articulate crucial federal concerns affecting Southern states.
Addressing the assembly, Vijay emphasized that state-level achievements in national priorities—such as population control, human development, and economic growth—should not translate into a political disadvantage. His address focused on three pressing areas requiring immediate Central intervention: fair representation under proposed delimitation, state autonomy regarding medical entrance examinations (NEET), and a comprehensive national framework to curb drug abuse.
Protection Against Representation Loss Under the Proposed Delimitation Bill
Highlighting the impending end of the freeze on parliamentary seat allocation based on the 1971 Census, CM Vijay raised grave concerns regarding the proposed Delimitation Bill, 2026. He stated that if constituency redrawing relies predominantly on population metrics, southern states face the risk of diminishing their collective voice in the Parliament.
“The southern states have been at the forefront of population stabilization, human development, and economic growth,” Vijay emphasized during his speech. He urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Central government to provide a clear legislative guarantee ensuring that no state suffers a reduction in its percentage share of parliamentary representation due to its success in family planning. Public policy, he argued, must not inadvertently penalize progressive states for fulfilling national objectives.
Push for NEET Exemption and Return to Class 12 Merit-Based Admissions
Reiterating Tamil Nadu’s long-standing stance against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), CM Vijay called for an exemption for the state from the unified medical entrance exam. He pointed out that NEET disproportionately disadvantages students from rural, socially, and economically underprivileged backgrounds, thereby undermining the state’s proven, inclusive educational model.
Vijay urged the Centre to allow Tamil Nadu to fill all state quota seats in MBBS, BDS, and AYUSH courses solely on the basis of Class 12 board marks. Restoring state autonomy over medical admissions, he asserted, would protect student interests and ensure equitable access to higher medical education without forcing candidates into expensive private coaching eco-systems.
Tighter Anti-Narcotics Coordination and Online Prescription Drug Regulation
Addressing the growing social threat of substance abuse, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister called for robust multi-state and central intervention to eradicate drug trafficking. Vijay urged the Ministry of Home Affairs to establish tighter interstate coordination mechanisms to combat narcotics networks operating across state borders.
Furthermore, he highlighted the unchecked growth of online prescription medicine sales, requesting the Union government to strengthen regulatory frameworks and strictly enforce laws against unauthorized digital drug distribution. Vijay also advocated for a comprehensive review of existing legal frameworks to effectively protect youth from emerging forms of substance abuse, calling for collective action to safeguard the nation’s younger generation.
