19-year-old NEET aspirant commits suicide in Chennai

CHENNAI: A 19-year-old girl, who was preparing for the NEET exam in Coimbatore has committed suicide. She has been identified as Anunkeerthana. Anunkeerthana, who had written the NEET exam twice earlier, was preparing to write the exam again. The investigating officers said the student was upset about having to write the exam again after the NEET question paper was leaked. The police said that no suicide note has been found and that the reason leading to her death is being investigated.

The incident sparked protests in Coimbatore against NEET exam. The opposition DMK announced a statewide protest, repeatedly demanding exemption of NEET in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed NEET since its introduction. Tamil Nadu's main argument is that NEET benefits only rich students who can afford expensive coaching in private institutions. The Tamil Nadu government also pointed that the NEET exam is a setback for students from poor and rural families, despite their good performance in Class 12 board exams.

Before the introduction of NEET, students in Tamil Nadu were admitted on the basis of their Class 12 marks. People in favor of it say that the old system paved the way for ordinary children to get medical admission.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly had passed a bill seeking exemption from NEET, but it did not receive presidential assent and so NEET exam is still continuing in Tamil Nadu.

The suicide of Anunkeerthana has triggered fresh protests against NEET. According to those opposing NEET, more than twenty students in Tamil Nadu have committed suicide since the introduction of the exam.