Three NEET Aspirant Die by Suicide in Tamil Nadu; Leaders Call for Reforms

Three NEET aspirants died by suicide in Tamil Nadu within four days before the June 2026 re-exam.

As protests and anger continue at Jantar Mantar, the loss remains visible.

(Photo: Deeksha Sinha/ The Quint)

Three NEET aspirants died by suicide in Tamil Nadu in the four days leading up to the NEET re-examination scheduled for 21 June 2026. The deaths occurred in Salem, Dharmapuri, and Krishnagiri districts. The students were identified as S Gopika, 19, from Salem; R Roshini, 19, from Dharmapuri; and C Vetri Anandan, 20, from Krishnagiri. All three had been preparing for the NEET exam, which was rescheduled following a paper leak and subsequent cancellation of the original test held on 3 May 2026.

According to The Indian Express, Gopika had been preparing for NEET for two years without access to coaching classes due to financial constraints. She had attempted the exam three times and was reportedly under severe stress, which intensified after the announcement of the re-test. Her family found her unconscious at home, and she was declared dead at Salem Government Hospital.

As reported by Hindustan Times, Roshini, who had completed Class 12 in 2025 and attended a coaching centre in Namakkal, was found dead at her home in Dharmapuri. Her father discovered her body on the evening before the re-exam. The police sent her remains for postmortem and are investigating the circumstances, with exam-related stress being considered as a possible factor.

In Krishnagiri, Vetri Anandan had completed Class 12 in 2023 and had been preparing for NEET at home after previous unsuccessful attempts. Coverage revealed that he left a note apologising to his family and stating that no one was responsible for his decision. He cited ongoing anxiety and fear of failure as reasons for his actions.

Political parties in Tamil Nadu have responded with strong criticism of the NEET system. The DMK students’ wing announced protests, holding the central government responsible for the distress caused by the exam. PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss and VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan reiterated demands for Tamil Nadu to be exempted from NEET, citing the mounting psychological pressure on students.

“The deaths showed that NEET should either be abolished across India or, at least, Tamil Nadu should be exempted,” said Anbumani Ramadoss.

Public demonstrations followed the deaths, with protestors demanding justice and compensation for the affected families. Reporting indicated that actor Zeeshan Ayyub addressed students, urging them not to lose hope and to seek counselling if needed, highlighting the emotional toll of the repeated exam cancellations and uncertainty.

In the weeks between the cancellation of the original NEET-UG and the retest, at least 12 aspirants across India died by suicide, with Tamil Nadu reporting multiple cases. Analysis showed that in several cases, no suicide note was found, and families attributed the deaths to exam-related stress and uncertainty.

Amid these developments, over 1.4 lakh candidates in Tamil Nadu were set to appear for the NEET re-exam on 21 June 2026. Details confirmed that authorities implemented strict security and biometric verification measures at more than 307 centres across the state to ensure the integrity of the examination process.

He had been unable to sleep properly for a month because of fear over NEET and feared failing again, the police sources claimed based on a note left by Vetri Anandan.

Calls for systemic reform and mental health support for students have intensified in the aftermath of these incidents. Further updates indicate that the debate over NEET’s impact on student well-being and the demand for exemption in Tamil Nadu remain ongoing topics of public and political discourse.

Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.