Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay made his national policy debut on June 11, 2026, addressing the 11th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog in New Delhi — chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a wide-ranging address covering education, healthcare, agriculture, youth empowerment, and cooperative federalism, Vijay placed seven major demands before the Union government and outlined Tamil Nadu's ambitious vision of becoming a ₹1.5 trillion economy by 2036.
- NEET Exemption — Allow TN to admit MBBS/BDS/AYUSH students based on Class XII marks alone
- Second AIIMS at Coimbatore — State to provide land; Centre to fund and build
- ₹3,284 Crore Education Funds — Release pending Samagra Shiksha allocation without NEP linkage
- Poverty-Free Tamil Nadu Mission — Central funding for targeted welfare convergence scheme
- Youth Skill Mission — 5 lakh annual stipend-supported internships + AI/EV tech skill centres in every district
- Thirukkural as National Literature — Formal recognition of the classical Tamil text
- Cooperative Federalism — Release of pending dues to Tamil Nadu under centrally sponsored schemes
Tamil Nadu's ₹1.5 Trillion Economy Vision
In his address, CM Vijay emphasised that Tamil Nadu — India's second-largest economy — is targeting a 1.5 trillion-dollar GDP by 2036. He positioned Tamil Nadu as a natural partner in India's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, noting that the state already accounts for 42% of all women working in factories across India — a figure he cited to highlight TN's leadership in inclusive economic development.
NEET: The Central Battle
NEET dominated Vijay's address. He urged the Centre to allow Tamil Nadu to fill all seats under the state quota in MBBS, BDS, and AYUSH courses based solely on Class XII marks — continuing a demand first raised by predecessor governments and now backed by a new political mandate. Vijay noted that the examination disproportionately disadvantages students from rural and government school backgrounds who lack access to expensive coaching. Tamil Nadu had previously passed a bill for NEET exemption in the Assembly, which remains pending Presidential assent.
Youth and Technology Focus
Vijay's proposed Youth Skill and Employment Mission aims to train 5 lakh young people annually through stipend-supported internships and industry-linked programmes. He asked the Centre to establish emerging technology skill centres in every district of Tamil Nadu, with focus areas including Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing, electric vehicle technology, and semiconductor sectors — directly reflecting the TVK government's digital governance pillar under Vetri Tamizhagam.