After Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu also has tragic events. A 19-year-old student committed suicide before the re-examination on June 21 amid controversy surrounding the NEET exam.
The name of the deceased student is Anukirtana. He had appeared for the NEET exam twice before and was preparing for the third exam this time as well.
According to initial police estimates, the student was under extreme stress due to the recent nationwide leak of the NEET question paper and the subsequent decision to retake the exam.
The family of the student said that he has prepared for the exam very hard this time. But the news of question paper leak hurt him deeply. He has been completely silent since the exam was cancelled. He again tried to prepare for the exam but could not calm his mind and became depressed day by day. He also spoke to the family members about the incident.
No suicide note was recovered from the spot, but the family said the girl was at a mental breakdown. Police are currently investigating the incident.
Protests started in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu over this incident. Some of the protestors demanded complete scrapping of the existing NEET examination system. The ruling DMK has launched agitations across the state. According to them, many students in Tamil Nadu, especially those from rural and economically backward classes, suffer the most in the NEET exam.
Tamil Nadu has been opposing the NEET exam for a long time. According to the state government, students who have the opportunity to study in expensive private coaching centers in the city get more advantage in the examination. As a result, talented students from government schools or rural areas lag behind in the competition.
Before the introduction of the NEET exam, admissions to medical courses were based on higher secondary marks in Tamil Nadu for almost a decade. According to some in the state, that old system also allowed children from backward families to become doctors. However, since the introduction of NEET, students have suffered extreme frustration and many precious lives have been lost prematurely. Earlier, a bill seeking exemption from NEET was passed in the Tamil Nadu Assembly but could not be implemented due to lack of President’s assent.