Hours before he was slated to attempt the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for the third time in a row, a 19-year-old student from Tamil Nadu was found dead at his residence in Salem on Sunday, 12 September.
According to multiple reports, it is suspected that S Dhanush took his own life fearing that he may not be able to clear the entrance test for admissions to undergraduate medical courses, for the third time.
Having secured 457 out of 500 marks in Class 10 and a similar performance in Class 12, the 19-year-old resident of Koolaiyur village was severely depressed after failing to clear NEET twice.
According to The News Minute, Dhanush's uncle Vaitheeswaran said that the 19-year-old was seen studying on Saturday night, but when "everyone at home went to sleep, he took his own life around midnight."
His death was first discovered by his mother Revathi, who found out after she had gone to his room at 4 am on Sunday.
Cannot Let More Students Die
The younger son of Sivakumar and Revathi, Dhanush was a member of the most backward caste community. While his father worked as an operator a private firm in Mettur, his elder brother Nishnath is an engineering student.
“We cannot have more students die due to such exams. Government should take swift measures,” The News Minute quoted Nishnath as saying.
Earlier on Saturday, 11 September, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian had said that the state government would pass a resolution against NEET on 12 September.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)