Chennai NEET Aspirant Dies By Suicide Over Fear Of Failure; Opposition Slams DMK Over Exam Policy

A 21-year-old student from Chennai preparing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) reportedly died by suicide on Friday, allegedly due to fear of failing the examination. The aspiring medical student had been struggling to clear the exam in her previous three attempts, police said.

Student Faced Intense Academic Pressure

The student had been attending coaching classes at a private institute in Chennai’s Anna Nagar since 2023 to prepare for the upcoming NEET exam scheduled for May 4. According to an official from the Chennai police, she had informed her parents about the stress she was experiencing. Her family reassured her that she should not worry, but the pressure seemed overwhelming, ANI reported.

Her father, who runs a bakery in Kilambakkam, about 40 km from Chennai, had relocated his business after their previous shop in the capital city did not perform well.

Chennai NEET Aspirant Suicide Details and Police Investigation

Authorities stated that the student returned home from her coaching class on March 27 in a distressed state. On Friday, she spent most of the day at her father’s bakery before telling him she would return later. When she did not come back for a long time and failed to respond to calls, her father grew suspicious. Tragically, her mother later found her dead at their home.

The Kalambakkam police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident. Following an autopsy, the student’s body was handed over to her family and taken to her native village in Tiruvannamalai district for the final rites.

Political Fallout of Chennai NEET Aspirant Suicide

The incident has reignited political debate in Tamil Nadu over the state’s stance on NEET. Opposition leader and ADMK general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami termed the student’s death “shocking” and criticized the ruling DMK for failing to fulfill its pre-election promise of abolishing the entrance exam.

“Doesn’t the DMK, which lied and deceived by saying that there would be no NEET exam in Tamil Nadu if it comes to power, feel any remorse for the continuing student suicides over NEET?” Palaniswami questioned in a post on X.

The former chief minister also cited multiple suicides of NEET aspirants since 2019 and demanded an explanation from Chief Minister MK Stalin. He further criticized Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin for claiming that only the DMK had the “secret” to abolishing the exam in Tamil Nadu.

“How are you going to wipe away the bloodstains that keep accumulating on your hands from the big lie you told for electoral gains?” he asked.

NEET Exemption Bill and DMK’s Stand

The DMK had passed the Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Medical Courses Act, 2021, in the state assembly, seeking exemption from NEET. However, the bill has been stalled due to a delay in receiving presidential assent. The party has consistently argued that NEET undermines social justice and disadvantages students from marginalized communities.

Chief Minister MK Stalin has accused the central government of delaying the exemption, stating that education falls under the concurrent list of the Constitution. The DMK has also pointed to alleged paper leaks and irregularities in the examination as reasons for its opposition. Meanwhile, the BJP has defended NEET, emphasizing the need to uphold merit-based admissions.

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