<p>On this day, three years ago, 18-year-old S Anitha took her own life after it became clear that she could not get admission in a medical college to realise her childhood dream of becoming a doctor.</p>.<p>A brilliant student who scored 1,176 out of 1,200 in her plus-two exams but could not clear NEET, Anitha went to the Supreme Court to get the entrance exam that she argued discriminates rural students like her be cancelled.</p>.<p>A dejected Anitha ended her life after the Supreme Court rejected her plea. And three years after that tragic incident, the diminutive girl is still the symbol of Tamil Nadu’s opposition to NEET and lives in spirit inside a library that Anitha’s family built in her honour from the money they received as solatium from several political parties and philanthropists.</p>.<p>As the debate on whether NEET should stay intensifies in Tamil Nadu, which has reported a sharp decline in the number of students applying for the exams, the Anitha Memorial Library in Kuzhumur, 270 km from here, in Ariyalur district teems with students attending online classes and youngsters preparing for competitive exams.</p>.<p>According to data released by the National Testing Agency (NTA), only 1,17,990 students from Tamil Nadu applied to appear for the exams, originally scheduled in May but will now be held on September 13 due to Covid-19 restrictions, as against last year’s number of 1,34,714. The dip is calculated to be 12.4 per cent.</p>.<p>The family spent the entire money they received from various sources to buy 12 cents of land and construct the library, which has now emerged as a centre of learning in the tiny village. The family, which still receives funds from philanthropists, spends the money on upgrading infrastructure in the library and help underprivileged students in pursuing their education.</p>.<p>Rathnavelu, a B. Sc (Chemistry) graduate who is preparing for Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) exams, told DH that the library provides him with the perfect environment to concentrate on his studies. “We have online classes and attending them for home is a problem as there are a lot of disturbances. The library is calm and allows us to prepare for exams in peace,” he told DH over the phone.</p>.<p>Inaugurated on the first death anniversary of Anitha, the library now boasts of nearly 4,000 books, journals, newspapers, and desktop computers that come in handy for students who use the facility. The family will also hold a Zoom meeting on Tuesday to observe the third anniversary in which Chidambaram MP and Dalit leader Thol. Thirumavalavan will participate.</p>.<p>“The sad story is NEET still stays. None of the people who support NEET give us a clear answer on what is the need for plus-two exams when only NEET marks are considered for admissions into medical colleges. NEET discriminates rural students and the latest figures released by NTA is a testimony to this fact,” S Maniratnam, Anitha’s elder brother, told DH.</p>.<p>He added that four youngsters who are preparing to appear for TNPSC exams and a half-a-dozen girl students use the library every day to attend their classes.</p>.<p>“We are happy that the library is useful for so many students from nearby villages. We keep adding books being gifted by well-wishers and friends and we are trying to get more books and journals to our library. Anitha is not with us today, but she has light up the lives of so many people. We are just a tool,” Maniratnam said.</p>.<p>Students from government schools, especially in rural areas, who study in Tamil all through their schooling find the examination discriminatory since they have to compete with those from CBSE and other streams across the country. </p>.<p>The state government has passed bills in the Assembly seeking an exception for Tamil Nadu from the exams. However, they are still pending with the Centre.</p>
<p>On this day, three years ago, 18-year-old S Anitha took her own life after it became clear that she could not get admission in a medical college to realise her childhood dream of becoming a doctor.</p>.<p>A brilliant student who scored 1,176 out of 1,200 in her plus-two exams but could not clear NEET, Anitha went to the Supreme Court to get the entrance exam that she argued discriminates rural students like her be cancelled.</p>.<p>A dejected Anitha ended her life after the Supreme Court rejected her plea. And three years after that tragic incident, the diminutive girl is still the symbol of Tamil Nadu’s opposition to NEET and lives in spirit inside a library that Anitha’s family built in her honour from the money they received as solatium from several political parties and philanthropists.</p>.<p>As the debate on whether NEET should stay intensifies in Tamil Nadu, which has reported a sharp decline in the number of students applying for the exams, the Anitha Memorial Library in Kuzhumur, 270 km from here, in Ariyalur district teems with students attending online classes and youngsters preparing for competitive exams.</p>.<p>According to data released by the National Testing Agency (NTA), only 1,17,990 students from Tamil Nadu applied to appear for the exams, originally scheduled in May but will now be held on September 13 due to Covid-19 restrictions, as against last year’s number of 1,34,714. The dip is calculated to be 12.4 per cent.</p>.<p>The family spent the entire money they received from various sources to buy 12 cents of land and construct the library, which has now emerged as a centre of learning in the tiny village. The family, which still receives funds from philanthropists, spends the money on upgrading infrastructure in the library and help underprivileged students in pursuing their education.</p>.<p>Rathnavelu, a B. Sc (Chemistry) graduate who is preparing for Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) exams, told DH that the library provides him with the perfect environment to concentrate on his studies. “We have online classes and attending them for home is a problem as there are a lot of disturbances. The library is calm and allows us to prepare for exams in peace,” he told DH over the phone.</p>.<p>Inaugurated on the first death anniversary of Anitha, the library now boasts of nearly 4,000 books, journals, newspapers, and desktop computers that come in handy for students who use the facility. The family will also hold a Zoom meeting on Tuesday to observe the third anniversary in which Chidambaram MP and Dalit leader Thol. Thirumavalavan will participate.</p>.<p>“The sad story is NEET still stays. None of the people who support NEET give us a clear answer on what is the need for plus-two exams when only NEET marks are considered for admissions into medical colleges. NEET discriminates rural students and the latest figures released by NTA is a testimony to this fact,” S Maniratnam, Anitha’s elder brother, told DH.</p>.<p>He added that four youngsters who are preparing to appear for TNPSC exams and a half-a-dozen girl students use the library every day to attend their classes.</p>.<p>“We are happy that the library is useful for so many students from nearby villages. We keep adding books being gifted by well-wishers and friends and we are trying to get more books and journals to our library. Anitha is not with us today, but she has light up the lives of so many people. We are just a tool,” Maniratnam said.</p>.<p>Students from government schools, especially in rural areas, who study in Tamil all through their schooling find the examination discriminatory since they have to compete with those from CBSE and other streams across the country. </p>.<p>The state government has passed bills in the Assembly seeking an exception for Tamil Nadu from the exams. However, they are still pending with the Centre.</p>
