The national medical entrance exam NEET continues to become a tormenting factor for students as another suicide was reported today in relation to the examination in Tamil Nadu.
This becomes the third death by suicide witnessed in just 4 days after NEET was conducted across the country on Sunday, despite desperate appeals from students to postpone it in view of covid and the risks it posed.
The 17-year-old was the daughter of a daily wage worker. After writing the national level exam, she was afraid that she wouldn’t be able to pass it. She had secured 84.9 per cent in her 12th grade.
While a 19-year-old had died by suicide on Sunday before even appearing for the exam, another 17-year-old boy died yesterday after the state government called for the elimination of NEET as the criteria for giving medical college admissions.
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The teenage boy, Dhanush, who died before the exam had appeared for NEET twice earlier. However, the son of a farm labourer was unable to pass both times.
The Chief Minister made an emotional appeal today after the third death by suicide news surfaced. MK Stalin requested students not to lose hope and their parents to support them without the pressure to score well in the exam. He also spoke about the state’s legal fight for exempting Tamil Nadu from writing the national exam.
“I beg of you, please do not end your lives. Nothing is impossible for you. Study with that confidence. Parents, too, should instil self-confidence in children and not stress them out,” he said.
Speaking about the Central government’s stance, he said. “NEET shuts down the little opportunity that has opened up for students. The Union government is stonehearted. It is not climbing down (from its stated position). We will create a situation to scrap NEET.”
He further advised students worried over the results to dial 104 and talk to mental health professionals.
For nearly a decade, Tamil Nadu did not participate in NEET as it received exemption during the DMK rule when UPA was in the Central power. Mr Stalin’s father was the CM back then. However, after the AIADMK came into office, they failed to get approval from their ally BJP, which had taken the union ministry’s status. At the time, the Supreme Court too had seconded the central government’s decision. Hence, forcing TN students to write NEET if they wished to take medical courses.
The situation has become such that the state is witnessing several deaths by suicide of teenagers who are scared of the national exam. 15 medical aspirants died by suicide in TN in the last few years.
The state government says that NEET favours the rich as it requires expensive tuition and coaching classes, which cannot be afforded by the poor students’ families.
After studying the impact of NEET on students, retired Justice AK Rajan had suggested the removal of NEET as the basis as it is an unjust process for lower-income group students.
