19-year-old dies by suicide in Tamil Nadu due to fear of NEET; AIADMK blames DMK

A 19-year-old medical aspirant from Salem died by suicide due to the fear of appearing for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) scheduled for Sunday, prompting the AIADMK to launch a blistering attack on DMK on the “false promise” of doing away with the entrance exam.

S Dhanush, a resident of Mettur in Salem district, died by suicide on Sunday hours before the NEET exam was scheduled to start. Dhanush had appeared for NEET twice in the past and this was his third attempt, his family said, adding that he was anxious about the exam for the past few weeks.

Suicides due to the fear of appearing for NEET or failing to clear the exam have rocked Tamil Nadu for the past few years. NEET is considered discriminatory against students from rural areas who are forced to compete with those from cities – almost all political parties in Tamil Nadu are opposed to the exam.

As usual, the suicide triggered a political slugfest but this time the DMK being at the receiving end. Former Chief Minister and Opposition Leader Edappadi K Palaniswami sought to know from DMK on the status of its promise to get NEET scrapped once it came to power.

“You (DMK) said you will scrap the exam. You spoke of a secret (idea) to do away with the exam. What happened to the idea and when will you implement it?” Palaniswami, who paid respects to Dhanush in Mettur, asked.

In his condolence message, Chief Minister M K Stalin blamed the Centre’s “adamant attitude” of not realizing the ill effects of NEET as the reason for students taking the extreme step of ending their lives. He also said he will write to Chief Ministers of various states asking them to raise their voice against NEET.

“The legal fight against NEET begins in Tamil Nadu tomorrow (September 13). The DMK government will pass a law seeking permanent exemption for Tamil Nadu from NEET in the Assembly…The legal fight will continue till the exam is dispensed with by the Centre,” Stalin said.

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