Third NEET aspirant dies by suicide in Tamil Nadu: Who to call if you're distressed, depressed about NEET

In a distressing incident, a 17-year-old NEET aspirant from the Vellore district of Tamil Nadu has died by suicide three days after taking the test. The student, the daughter of a daily wage labourer, was anxious about failing the test, which was reportedly tougher this year, when compared to 2020. A student of Thottapalayam Government High School, she had scored 510 marks out of 600 in her Class XII board exams.

This news comes on the heels of a similar NEET-related suicide that was reported yesterday from Ariyalur district in Tamil Nadu. The student was apparently upset because she believed she had not done well in the national-level entrance test. She had scored 93.6 per cent in her Class XII board exam. Tamil Nadu has now seen three NEET-related suicides, even as the States Assembly passed a law seeking permanent exemption from NEET, as part of its ongoing protestations against the exam.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had said that the Bill was introduced in support of social justice, equality and equal opportunity to all medical aspirants, especially those hailing from poorer backgrounds and rural areas in the state. Introducing the Bill in the Assembly, he had appealed to the members to support TN's "legal battle against NEET''.  The bill seeks to make Class XII marks the benchmark for admission into medical colleges, after they are normalised across boards.

On the day of the exam, a 19-year-old student from Salem district in the state had also died by suicide just hours before the test began. Following the suicide on Tuesday, CM Stalin said, "I appeal to parents to raise confidence among children. I assure there will be no compromise in our legal struggle to scrap NEET."

You are not alone. It is understandable to feel low and anxious about the results, but an examination is never a measure of your life's worth or direction. If you are feeling depressed or anxious, please do reach out and connect with professional help, available on these numbers in your states:

Suicide helpline numbers

Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre, Chennai
Number: 044 2464 0050

Sahai Helpline, Bengaluru
Number: 080 2549 7777

DISHA, Kerala
1056

Sumaitri, Delhi
Number: +91 011 23389090

Hope Helpline for Students, Rajasthan
+91 0744 2333666