VIRUDHUNAGAR: Even as the family of NEET aspirant Jothi Sri Durga, who died by suicide on September 12 last year, is yet to process the tragedy, another NEET exam has come about and this time it coincides with her death anniversary.
“This is not a coincidence. This is a reminder for us to work towards creating a society wherein no one is denied opportunities,” the family said.
Jothi’s father Muruga Sundaram (51) holds the system responsible for her death. “People observe Anitha’s death anniversary on September 1 as ‘NEET opposition day’, and they move on. In a few years, this exam would be the norm and thousands would be denied opportunities. A common man can’t do anything about it,” Sundaram told TNIE. He had strongly hoped that the test would be banned in TN this year.
Quoting data released by the National Testing Agency, the dejected father added, “While 1,21,617 students from TN applied for NEET in 2020, the number reduced to 1,12,889 this year. Of these, only 11,236 are from government and government-aided schools. The whole process should be revised so all students get equal opportunity. I have three demands. First, ban NEET. The government can bring back the system of improvement exams, as was done before the 1990s, and hold admissions in two sessions during June and January. This will level the competition field to some extent.”
Sundaram lifted up a wall poster commemorating Jothi’s death anniversary and his eyes welled up. “I wanted to encourage her to appear for NEET once more, or take up whichever UG course she desired. We had plans for her marriage too. But, the dawn of September 12 destroyed our lives. We now consider Jothi a god because she departed way too young,” he added and walked away to perform Jothi’s first anniversary rituals.
(Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on the helplines 104 and 044-24640050.)