BENGALURU, May 15 -- Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday sought restoration of the powers of states to conduct medical entrance examinations, arguing that the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination after a question paper leak had exposed the weaknesses of a centralised testing system.

In a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office, Siddaramaiah said the Karnataka government had consistently opposed NEET on the grounds that it disadvantaged rural and poor students, weakened the school education system and reduced the role of states in admissions.

"We had opposed NEET in 2024 itself, stating that the examination was unjust to rural and poor students, weakened the school education system and snatched away the pow...