Teen dies by suicide over poor performance in NEET

S. Punitha attended classes at a NEET coaching centre for about two years but was unable to get a medical seat

A 19-year-old woman, from Keelmugam village at Edappadi taluk in Salem, died by suicide allegedly over scoring poorly in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), an entrance exam for admissions to medical and dental courses.

S. Punitha attended classes at a NEET coaching centre for about two years but was unable to get a medical seat. Recently, she also attended the counselling for paramedical courses, but in that too, she could not get a seat under the government quota.

Upset over this, she died by suicide at her house on Tuesday (October 8, 2024), the police said.

Edappadi police sent her body to the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College and Hospital in Salem for a postmortem examination.

The police said she lost her father a few years ago. She is survived by her mother, who is an assistant at a private school at Konganapuram, and her sister, who is pursuing an undergraduate course at a private college in Tiruchengodu.

Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s Health Helpline 104 and Sneha’s Suicide Prevention Helpline 044-24640050.

Published - October 09, 2024 04:26 pm IST