Ariyalur suicide proof of Rajan committee findings on ‘NEET fears’

CHENNAI: With the suicidal death of another medical aspirant named Nishanthi from the Ariyalur district, it is evident that the NEET nightmare continues in the state. Even as Governor RN Ravi forwarded the National Entrance cum Eligibility Test (NEET) exemption bill to the President of India, the uncertainty and fear are pushing several teenagers into the death trap.

As stated in the report of Justice (retired) AK Rajan, students from the poor section and underdeveloped demographics are often being victims of the NEET examination, according to academic experts. While the state has passed the bill and waiting for the nod from the union, the activists and aspirants demand that the governments shall not delay scrapping the NEET

For Nishanthi it’s not merely a dream or a wish to become a doctor. According to her neighbours and kin, it was her self-made commitment to pursue the MBBS degree from a marginalised family in Ariyalur town.

Her ambition propelled her to prepare for NEET for medical admissions for the second time after losing the first attempt in 2021.

Nishanthi secured 529 out of 600 in her higher secondary examinations held in 2021. Since she could not make it to last year’s NEET, she was gearing up for the second attempt. Even after spending on coaching classes and preparations, her anxiety did not come down. The government tabled the NEET abolishment bill on the basis of a report submitted by a committee headed by Justice AK Rajan. According to the committee’s report, NEET prevents the opportunity for tribal, rural, and oppressed students to pursue medical education.

While the state reports more than dozens of students who killed themselves due to the pressue of NEET exam, Nishanthi is the fourth one to commit suicide in the backward Ariyalur district after Kanimozhi, Vignesh, and Anitha. It is also noted that a student named Keerthana, from the nearby Perambalur district had also killed herself for same reason in 2019.

Anitha was the first who protested against NEET and moved the Supreme Court. As all her efforts went futile, she ended her life.

The other victims Anitha, Vignesh, and Nishanthi were also not from affluent families.

It is pertinent to note that Ariyalur is the district that has the lowest Human Development Index (HDI) in the state with an HDI value of 0.282. While the number of MBBS seats secured in Ariyalur before the NEET was 1.71 per cent and it has come down to 0.73 per cent after the implementation of NEET.

Speaking to DT Next Mani Ratnam, brother of Anitha said that most of the children in our district are the first generation to apply for collegiate education and they could not bear the disappointment when their dreams are shattered with NEET.

“The adverse impact of NEET affects the whole state. However, the quantum of the issue is high in rural areas. While students go to school in rural areas, teachers and parents used to tell them that if they study hard, they can pursue any degree that they are aspiring for,” said Anitha’s brothetr .

“However, after scoring good marks in high secondary amid all the odds in the rural areas, the interference of NEET truncates their hopes and forces them to give up their lives, ” Mani Ratnam added.

Not only Ariyalur, other backward districts like Thiruvarur, Villupuram, Theni, and Perambalur also have the lowest HDI also showing a decreasing trend of MBBS admission after the implementation of NEET.

According to advocate S Ramesh, the only solution to stop suicidal deaths of medical aspirants is that the union government should scrap NEET. Since the subject falls under Entry 32, List II, the Centre could not encroach on the state’s subject, ” the advocate added.