Chennai: A 19-year-old student from Thadapuram village near Tindivanam in Tamil Nadu’s Villupuram district reportedly died by suicide due to anxiety over the upcoming National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). The student, identified as Indhu, was found hanging at home on Saturday while her family was away working in the fields.
Indhu had performed well in her Class 12 exams at a government higher secondary school and had previously taken NEET, scoring 350 marks but failing to pass. Determined to succeed this year, she had been preparing diligently and recently acquired her OBC certificate for her application.
Her family discovered her body when they returned home in the evening and promptly notified the Velimedu Pettai police. Authorities arrived at the scene late that night, took possession of the body, and sent it for a post-mortem at Villupuram Government Medical College Hospital. An investigation is currently underway.
This incident is reminiscent of a similar case from October 2024, where another 19-year-old student, S. Punitha from Keelmugam village in Salem district, took her life after failing to secure a medical seat despite two years of NEET coaching and counseling for paramedical courses.
The Tamil Nadu government has been vocal in its opposition to NEET, arguing that it disadvantages economically weaker and Tamil-medium students. In June 2024, the state assembly unanimously passed a resolution against the exam following controversies, including leaked question papers and postponements. The ruling DMK party has continually advocated for Tamil Nadu’s exemption from NEET, citing that 119 NEET aspirants have died by suicide over the past eight years. They assert that abolishing NEET is essential to prevent such tragedies and reduce exam-related cheating.