Jyothi Sri Durga, a 19-year-old NEET aspirant took her own life prior to the NEET examination due to mounting pressure. In her note, she wrote, "If I don't secure a medical seat, all of your efforts will have gone in vain. I am sorry. I am tired." Jyothi is the third aspirant who has died before the NEET exam out of fear of writing the entrance exam for medical. The exam is scheduled to take place on Sunday.
There were two other NEET aspirants who died by suicide in August and September. R Subashri took her own life in Coimbatore district after the Supreme Court dismissed a plea seeking to postpone the exam. Another boy, who had taken the exam twice earlier, also took his own life due to the fear of writing the exam.
19-year-old gives in to pressure
Jyothi stayed with her family in Madurai in government quarters and her father is a sub-inspector. Jyothi had taken the NEET exam last year also but she could manage 100 marks. She decided to take the exam again this year and was preparing for it.
Her family stated that on Friday night before she died by suicide, Jyothi appeared fine as she talked and behaved normally over dinner. She went off to her room to sleep after finishing dinner. When the family knocked her door on Saturday morning, Jyothi did not respond.
They tried calling on her mobile phone but she failed to answer. They broke the door open when Jyothi did not answer and found her dead. She had left behind a letter and video expressing her fear of the exam for her parents.
She stated in the letter that she feared disappointing her family and was scared of not making it through. She repeatedly told her parents not to blame themselves for her decision.
She apologized continuously in the video for what she did. Her family is still in a state of shock. Speaking to the media, her father said, "She studied well. She would have got over 550 marks. But she has been depressed. She spoke to us well in the night. In the morning, we realized this has happened."
Expressing grief over the death of the students who died by suicide due to NEET - induced stress, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had requested students preparing to appear for the examination to not give in to the stress.
Political parties in Tamil Nadu have staged protests and agitations alleging that NEET does not allow students from socio-economically backward backgrounds to have an equal chance at getting a medical seat.
