19-year-old medical aspirant commits suicide after failing NEET twice, father kills self unable to bear son's loss

Chennai: In an unfortunate incident, a 19-year-old medical aspirant who was hopeful of cracking the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) the third time, committed suicide. 

The incident has sent shock waves across Tamil Nadu, after the student's father, unable to come to terms with his son’s demise, also took his own life.

Hours before the student took the extreme measure, he sounded confident of clearing the test on his third attempt and convinced his father to pay the fee at a coaching centre here.

“I had even suggested that he go abroad with his brother for studies. But, he said he would take up the test again and secure the qualifying marks and get admission in a medical college,” his father, a single parent, had told reporters on Sunday.

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But on Saturday night, after being unable to reach his son over the phone, his father, an event photographer, sought help from his friend and a photographer colleague to find out why his son didn’t respond to his calls.

The student was found hanging in his house at Kurinji Nagar in Chromepet, here. He was rushed to a hospital where he was declared brought dead, police said.

Unable to bear the loss of his son’s demise, his 48-year-old father after completing his son’s last rites, died by hanging at his house on Sunday night, the police added.

Though no suicide note could be found, inquiries by the police revealed that the student had made two unsuccessful attempts at clearing NEET after he passed Plus Two from a CBSE school in 2021 scoring 427 marks out of 500.

The Chitlapakkam police have registered a case, PTI reports.

'NEET will be scrapped' says CM Stalin

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday passionately appealed to NEET aspirants not to harbour any suicidal tendencies but to face life with self-confidence.

Stalin claimed that in a few months, when the political change takes place, then the NEET barriers will come crashing down.

“Then, all those who say ‘I will not sign’ will disappear,” the Chief Minister said referring to Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi’s remarks against the state’s anti-NEET bill.

“I offer my deepest condolences on the demise of the student and his father. Let their deaths be the last on the altar of NEET,” Stalin said in a statement here.

Expressing shock over the recent demise of the medical aspirant, a student from Chromepet in the city who unsuccessfully attempted to clear the entrance test, the Chief Minister said he was at a loss to console his family.

“The student's father also committed suicide the next day. I am at a loss on how to console his family and friends,” the Chief Minister said.

His parents wanted to see their son, who studied well, as a medical doctor. But the student “has joined the list of victims on the altar of the NEET exam, which is the most gruesome incident,” he said. A spate of alleged NEET-related suicides has been reported in the state in the past few years.

“I appeal that no student should ever decide to take away their own life under any circumstances. The NEET, which is a hurdle for your growth, will be scrapped. The state government is actively working on the legal initiative in this direction,” Stalin said in the statement.

Stalin lashes out at Governor

Recalling the Assembly resolutions demanding NEET exemption for TN, he said the Governor returned the first resolution and sent the second one to the President for assent.

“It appears that Governor Ravi wants the bill to be shelved. NEET exam has become expensive and can be afforded only by the rich,” the Chief Minister said.

Those who cannot afford to study by spending huge sums of money failed the test, he claimed and said a situation has arisen wherein those who qualify for NEET alone can join a medical college if they have money and that medical education is only for those who have money. “Despite this, the state government brought 7.5 per cent reservation for the poor students of government schools in medical colleges. But, the Governor refuses to understand. There is a doubt that he is acting like a puppet of the coaching centres,” Stalin alleged.

Accusing Ravi of “conducting classes” at the Raj Bhavan by inviting students, the Chief Minister claimed the Governor “displayed his ignorance” when he had remarked that he would not sign the NEET exemption bill, an issue raised by a student’s father from Salem during an interaction on Saturday.

“The bill does not await his signature. It rests with the President. Governor has no authority as far as this is concerned, though he is giving the impression that he wields authority. No matter how many lives are lost like that of the deceased student, the heart of Governor R N Ravi will not melt. Human life has no value in the times of such stone-hearted people,” Stalin said offering his deepest condolences to the bereaved family of the student and his father.

“Let their death be the final one on the altar of NEET. A bright future awaits you students. Be self-confident. Live and let others live. I urge you once again don’t harbour any suicidal tendencies,” the chief minister said. 

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