"I beg of you, please do not end your lives,” said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, making an appeal to students appearing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to undergraduate medical courses.
Advising panicked children to talk to mental health experts by dialling 104, Stalin added, “Nothing is impossible for you. Study with that confidence. Parents, too, should instill self-confidence in children and not stress them out," NDTV reported.
Stalin’s plea comes amid reports of a third case of suicide in a week related to the controversial exam.
A 17-year-old resident of Tamil Nadu's Ariyalur district was found dead in her house in Sathampadi village on 14 September, a third such death in less than a week. The daily wager's daughter, who allegedly died by suicide, had scored 84.9 per cent in Class 12, and was anxious over clearing NEET.
Over the past few years, 15 medical aspirants have died by suicide in the state.
Stalin said on Wednesday, "NEET shuts down the little opportunity that has opened up for students. The Union government is stonehearted. It is not climbing down (from its stated position). We will create a situation to scrap NEET.”
On Monday, the Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Medical Degree Courses Bill, 2021 (Anti-NEET bill) was passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly. Chief Minister MK Stalin had introduced the bill, which seeks permanent exemption from the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).
The bill, however, would not take effect without a sign-off by President Ram Nath Kovind, since it challenges a union law.
NEET has always been a contentious issue in Tamil Nadu and for the last few years, students, parents, teachers, and political leaders have been protesting the medical entrance exam.
(With inputs from NDTV.)
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