NEET Suicide Nightmare! Tamil Nadu Student’s Tragic End Sparks Outrage

A 19-year-old NEET aspirant from Chennai, identified as Dharshini, took her own life on Friday, reportedly overwhelmed by fear of failing the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) after two unsuccessful attempts.

The incident, occurring in the city’s outskirts, has reignited debates over the intense pressure of the medical entrance exam and its toll on students in Tamil Nadu.

Dharshini, who had been attending a private coaching center, was found dead at her residence in Ambattur late Friday evening. Police said she had been preparing for her third NEET attempt, slated for May 2025, after scoring below the qualifying mark in prior exams despite strong Class 12 results in 2023.

Her family, devastated, told authorities she had grown increasingly anxious as the exam approached, though no suicide note was recovered.

The Tamil Nadu government, led by the DMK, has long opposed NEET, arguing it disadvantages rural and economically weaker students unable to afford coaching. Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed condolences on social media, urging students not to lose hope and reiterating his party’s push to scrap the exam—a promise stalled by central policy and legal roadblocks.

AIADMK leader Edappadi Palaniswami slammed the DMK, claiming four years in power could have better prepared students rather than fueling false hopes.

This marks at least the third NEET-related suicide in Tamil Nadu this year, with over 20 such cases reported since 2017, when the exam became mandatory.

Police have launched an investigation, and counseling helplines like Sneha (044-24640050) are being promoted as the state grapples with this recurring tragedy.