A 19-year-old medical aspirant, S. Anu Keerthana, reportedly died by suicide after consuming poison at her Kovaipudur residence. The tragedy has triggered widespread outrage and renewed intense scrutiny over the immense psychological toll of competitive examinations.
Keerthana, the elder daughter of CITU trade union leader Senthil Prabhu, had previously qualified for a BDS seat in 2025 but chose to drop a year to pursue her MBBS dream. After rigorously preparing for the May 3 NEET (UG) exam, her aspirations were derailed when the Union government cancelled the test following widespread paper leak allegations, scheduling a mandatory re-test for June 21, as per The Times Of India.
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The sudden cancellation and the looming pressure of rewriting the high-stakes exam reportedly caused her severe mental distress. Before taking the drastic step, Keerthana sent a heartbreaking WhatsApp message to her paternal uncle, expressing deep anxiety over the recurring financial burden placed on her father. "I had taken the NEET exam and was waiting to join a medical college, but the exam was cancelled.
I am afraid to take the test again... I do not know how I can ever look him in the face again," the text read. Alarmed relatives rushed to her home and found her unconscious. She was moved to a private hospital, where she later succumbed, according to TOI.
Grieving family members initially refused to accept Keerthana's body, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. They relented late at night following talks with revenue officials.
The incident sparked massive demonstrations at the Government Medical College campus, demanding an immediate ban on the NEET system. The Kuniyamuthur police have registered a case, seized the victim's mobile phone, and initiated a formal inquiry into the circumstances surrounding her death.
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