Political parties on Tuesday condoled the death of MBBS aspirant Pradeepa, the daughter of a labourer, who committed suicide after failing to crack NEET. The girl, a resident of Peruvallur in Villupuram district, belonged to the Dalit community. She had scored 1,125 out of 1,200 marks in her Class XII examination but secured just 39 marks in NEET.
“After Anitha (an MBBS aspirant who ended her life last year), Tamil Nadu has lost another life this year due to the imposition of NEET by the Central government. The NEET fraud being imposed by the Modi government has taken two lives. This should not happen again,” MDMK general secretary Vaiko said in a statement.
“The Tamil Nadu government, that is working hand in hand with the Centre, has to be thrown out,” he said, and asked students not to resort to such extreme measures if they failed in exams. He also wanted NEET to be scrapped.
PMK’s Anbumani Ramadoss said NEET should be abolished to protect social justice and to prevent such suicides in the future. “The Centre and the State governments should take adequate action to ensure the cancellation of the examination,” he said.
Tamil Maanila Congress president G.K. Vasan said NEET was tough on the poor and students from rural areas.
“I condemn the Centre and the State governments that forced NEET on the students of the State. The Tamil Nadu government should create a conducive environment for students, especially the poor and those from socially backward backgrounds, so that they could study medicine,” Mr. Vasan added.
All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi president R. Sarathkumar said any examination like NEET, that sought to destroy the ambitions and dreams of the students of Tamil Nadu, was not necessary.