Coimbatore , 18 June (H.S.) :

The death of a 19-year-old medical aspirant in Coimbatore while preparing for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) re-examination has reignited the debate over the controversial entrance test in Tamil Nadu and renewed concerns about the mental health burden faced by students.

The student, identified as Anu Keerthana, had already appeared for NEET twice and was preparing for the re-test scheduled on June 21. The re-examination was ordered following allegations of a question paper leak, requiring candidates to undergo the process once again.

According to police, Anu Keerthana had been experiencing severe mental stress over having to retake the examination. Investigators said the pressure associated with the upcoming test appeared to have deeply affected her. A suicide note has reportedly been recovered, and a detailed investigation is underway to ascertain the exact circumstances behind the tragedy.

The incident sparked protests in Coimbatore, with student organisations, activists and political groups demanding that NEET be scrapped. Protesters argued that recurring controversies surrounding the examination, coupled with the intense competition involved, have placed an unbearable psychological burden on students aspiring to enter medical colleges.

The tragedy is also expected to strengthen Tamil Nadu’s long-standing demand for exemption from NEET. Successive state governments have opposed the national-level entrance examination, arguing that it places students from rural and economically weaker backgrounds at a disadvantage.

Critics contend that success in NEET often depends on access to expensive coaching centres and specialised training, making it difficult for many students who excel in Class XII examinations to compete on equal terms. They argue that the examination system favours those with greater financial resources and access to coaching.

Before the introduction of NEET, admissions to medical courses in Tamil Nadu were based on Class XII marks. Supporters of that system maintain it offered better opportunities to students from government schools and rural areas.

Tamil Nadu has repeatedly sought an exemption from NEET and had passed legislation proposing an alternative admission model based on board examination scores, but the Bill did not receive Presidential assent.

The latest death has once again drawn attention to student mental health and the continuing controversy surrounding NEET, an issue that remains among the most politically and emotionally charged subjects in Tamil Nadu’s education sector.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman