Two NEET Aspirants End Their Lives in Tamil Nadu, Highlighting Exam Stress
Two National Eligibility cum Entrance Exam (NEET) aspirants in Tamil Nadu died by suicide on Saturday, June 20, 2026, in separate incidents in the districts of Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri. The deaths have once again brought attention to the intense pressure faced by students preparing for competitive medical entrance exams.
R. Roshini, 19, a resident of Endapatti near Palacode in Dharmapuri district, completed Class 12 in 2025 and enrolled at a NEET coaching centre in Namakkal. For the past two months, she had been preparing for the exam at home. An exam centre in Dharmapuri had been allocated for her to take the test on Sunday, June 21. On Saturday at around 5:30 p.m., her father, Ramakrishnan, returned home to find that she had taken her own life. The Palacode police sent the body to Dharmapuri Medical College Hospital for postmortem examination. A case has been registered and investigation is underway.
In a similar incident, C. Vetri Anandan, 20, a resident of Bagalur Road near Hosur in Krishnagiri district, died by suicide on the same day. He had completed Class 12 in 2023 and studied at a NEET coaching centre in Namakkal for two years. He had appeared for the NEET exam twice but did not pass. For the past year, he had been preparing at home and took the exam for the third time on May 3, 2026. According to police, he initially felt confident about clearing the exam but became frustrated after the exam was cancelled for a fourth time, requiring him to prepare again. At around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, his mother, Uthirakumari, returned from a grocery shop to find that her son had ended his life. The Hudco police recovered a suicide note in which Vetri Anandan stated he could not bear the mental agony caused by the NEET exam and that no one was to blame for his action.
These tragic events underscore the severe mental health challenges faced by many students in India’s high-stakes examination system. Counseling and support services are available for those experiencing distress.
Help is available: Individuals facing suicidal thoughts can contact the State’s health helpline at 104, Tele-MANAS at 14416, or Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline at 044-24640050.
