Dalit girl who fought NEET exam in SC commits suicide

Tamil Nadu: In a shocking incident, a 17-year-old Tamil Nadu student, S Anitha who had filed a case in the Supreme Court against National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), has allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself to death at her house at Kuzhumur village near Sendurai on Friday.

Anitha was the daughter of a daily wage labourer and belonged to a Dalit family. She would have qualified for MBBS had admissions been held on the basis of Plus Two marks. 

Anitha had scored 1,176 out of 1,200 marks in her higher secondary examination and had a cut off of 196.75 for medicine. But she got mere 86 marks in NEET examination. She could not bag an MBBS seat as NEET score was the basis for medical counselling in 2017.

Anitha, who had challenged the apex court on NEET, told media then that she wanted to be a doctor. She said, "I want to be a doctor and I will be assured of a seat if the admission is based on Plus Two marks."

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palanisamy on Friday announced ex-gratia of Rs 7 lakh for the kin of Anitha.

Medical college admissions in Tamil Nadu were conducted solely based on the Plus Two examination marks until 2016. Though the Central government introduced NEET in 2016, Tamil Nadu was exempted from it. This year too, the state government sought exemption and the Legislative Assembly passed amendments to continue the existing practice in medical college admissions.

The Supreme Court on August 22 directed the Tamil Nadu government to complete counselling process for medical admissions in the State on the basis of the NEET merit list by September 4.

Actor Rajinikanth expressed his grief over the death of Anitha and conveyed his condolences to her family.