In what has become a dismaying development, Tamil Nadu reported another NEET-related death on Wednesday, which has become the third death in five days. Of these three, two deaths were occurred after appearing for the national entrance exam, that was held on Sunday across the country. The state has been recording back-to-back shocking incidents amid the government passing the bill to repeal the NEET from Tamil Nadu. 

According to reports, 17-year-old Soundharya had become the third medical aspirant to die in five days after she had committed suicide on Wednesday. Soundharya was a resident of Thalaiyarampattu village near Katpadi in the Vellore district. She had done her Class 12 at Thottapalayam school and secured 510 marks out of a total of 600. With an impressive mark, she had prepared for the NEET to secure a medical admission to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. 

On Sunday, she had written the NEET exam in Kingston College of Engineering in Christianpet, Vellore. After writing the exam, she had told her parents that she was scared that she would not clear the NEET. The reports say that Soundharya had told her mother that the exam was difficult and she was unable to perform well. With being frustrated upon the NEET, she didn't talk well with her parents and was under depression. When her parents, who are daily wagers, had gone to work on Wednesday morning - September 15, Soundharya had decided to end her life and committed suicide at her home. 

When her mother had returned home, she was shocked to see Soundharya hanging in her room. The incident was then reported to the police and her body was sent to the Vellore Government Hospital to conduct an autopsy. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Katpadi and the Revenue Inspector are carrying out the probe into Soundharya's death. Her suicide had become the third NEET-related death in Tamil Nadu in five days.

On Monday, a day after the exam, 17-year-old Kanimozhi of Ariyalur had committed suicide after she was scared that she can't clear the exam and on Saturday, a day ahead of the exam, 20-year-old Dhanush of Salem had ended his life over the fear of failing the exam for the third time. It must be noted that the Tamil Nadu Assembly had passed a Bill to ban NEET in Tamil Nadu on Monday. The bill 'Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Medical Degree Courses Bill' was passed two months after the AK Rajan committee, formed by the state government to study the impact of the NEET, has said that most of the people were against the NEET. 

The Tamil Nadu government has said that the bill aims to provide admission to undergraduate medical courses not through NEET, but on the basis of the marks obtained in the qualifying examination. This system will be done with the view of ensuring social justice, uphold equality and equal opportunity, protect all vulnerable student communities from being discriminated against. The government added that the bill will also enable bringing such students to the mainstream of medical and dental education. 

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