Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has shifted the focus of the ongoing NEET debate by arguing that artificial intelligence, rather than entrance examinations, poses the greatest challenge to students. Reacting to recent controversies surrounding paper leaks, cancelled tests and student suicides, Varma said these issues expose weaknesses in the education system but are only part of a much bigger transformation. In a detailed post on X, he claimed AI is changing the value of degrees, technical skills and traditional career paths at an unprecedented pace. His remarks have reignited discussion about whether education is keeping pace with technological change and future employment.
RGV Says The Real Crisis Is Artificial Intelligence
Sharing his views on X, Ram Gopal Varma wrote, "NEET is not the issue. AI is." Referring to paper leaks, cancelled examinations and student suicides, he argued that while these incidents expose a struggling education system, artificial intelligence presents a far greater disruption. He wrote that such controversies may leave "bodies on the floor and parents screaming", but AI "does not wound the system. It rips its throat out."
According to Varma, the education system was designed for a time when information was limited and careers followed predictable paths. He believes that reality has changed completely, with AI capable of processing information faster than humans and reducing the importance of memorisation and conventional academic achievement.
Degrees Alone May No Longer Guarantee Careers
Varma argued that students can no longer rely on marks, degrees or technical qualifications to secure lifelong employment. Instead, he said the ability to continuously adapt, learn new skills and work alongside AI will become far more valuable. Comparing the current education system to "furniture inside a house that is already on fire", he suggested debates over syllabi and entrance examinations fail to address the much larger technological shift already underway.
He also questioned whether years spent studying specialised professional courses would continue to offer the same career prospects in an AI-driven economy.
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Warning For Students And Parents
The filmmaker warned that students pursuing engineering, medicine, law, chartered accountancy, architecture, design, MBA and other professional programmes could graduate into a job market transformed by artificial intelligence. He claimed AI would increasingly allow individuals to perform tasks traditionally handled by multiple professionals, reducing demand for entry-level roles.
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Varma concluded by saying students whose courses do not teach them to use AI are being prepared for careers that may no longer exist. He also argued that parents judging success solely through ranks and degrees, and educators defending outdated curricula, risk leaving the next generation unprepared for the future.
Varma's comments have added a new dimension to the NEET discussion by shifting attention from examination reforms to the long-term impact of artificial intelligence. Whether or not one agrees with his assessment, his remarks have fuelled a wider conversation about how education must evolve in an AI-driven world.