Tamil Nadu: Another NEET aspirant commits suicide; CM Palaniswami expresses grief

Less than a few hours since the state was shocked by the suicide of 19-year-old Jyothi Sridurga, another NEET Aspirant Aaditya died by suicide today owing to stress from preparing for National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). Tamil Nadu has seen three suicides owning to NEET- induced stress and pressure this week alone. Son of a small-scale businessman, Aadiya was said to be preparing to clear the NEET examination tomorrow. This was his second attempt at clearing the NEET Examination and is said to have been preparing for the same for a long time. 

Earlier today, Jyothi Sridura, a Madurai-based MBBS-Aspirant died by suicide fearing not clearing the NEET Examination. She had recorded an emotional-video as well as penned a four-page suicide note stating her reason to take this step to be due to fear of not clearing the exam and getting a seat in the medical college. 

On Wednesday, V Vignesh, another student from Ariyalur also is said to have allegedly died by NEET-induced fear. Following the death of Vignesh, protests took place in several parts of Tamil Nadu demanding that NEET examinations are scrapped and students' lives are saved. 

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Opposition party leader M.K Stalin taking to twitter urged the EPS government to oppose conducting NEET Exam in the state. Taking to twitter he also declared that NEET would be scrapped from the state when DMK came to power and that students must try and overcome this fear. 

Expressing grief over the death of the students who died by suicide due to NEET - induced stress, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had requested students preparing to appear for the examination to not give in to the stress. “Pains to see students taking such steps,” said the CM in a statement he had given following V Vignesh’s death. The Deputy Chief Minister O Panneer Selvam issuing a statement today morning also requested students not to take such drastic measures. “I encourage the students to face anything without being discouraged and also request parents to be supportive of the students,” he said taking to Twitter this morning. 

Expressing concern over the recent death of a female NEET aspirant in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai, actor-politician Kamal Haasan on Saturday urged the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government to “think of alternatives and implement them expeditiously”.
Taking to Twitter, Kamal Haasan said, “What are we going to do to ensure that Jyoti Durga’s death is the last in the NEET related deaths? Central and state governments need to think of alternatives and implement them expeditiously. It is our duty to give our children hope and mental strength. Let’s do it!”

READ: Kamal Haasan mourns NEET aspirant's death, questions Centre 'How to make this final one?'