NEET Abolition Demand: TN Ministers Observe Daylong Hunger Strike

Chennai: Leaders of ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Sunday observed a daylong hunger strike here on Sunday demanding the abolition of National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (NEET).

The state-wide hunger strike, which began after paying floral tributes to NEET aspirants who allegedly died by suicide in the state, was headed by Tamil Nadu minister and DMK’s youth wing president Udhayanidhi Stalin.

Udhayanidhi was joined by his Cabinet colleagues — Agriculture minister Duraimurugan, Endowment Department minister PK Sekhar Babu, Health minister Ma Subramanian — and senior DMK leaders.

Udhayanidhi reiterated what chief minister MK Stalin, his father, has been demanding for months.

He condemned the Centre for not exempting Tamil Nadu from NEET examination, which he claimed was to blame for suicide of young medical aspirants in the state.

Stalin senior said his party won’t stop till Tamil Nadu gets exemption from the central qualifying test, while the BJP slammed the state’s ruling party for ‘politicising’ NEET.

In the latest case, a 19-year-old student took the extreme step on August 12 after failing to get the required marks for medical admission even on his second attempt.

A day later, the boy’s father was found dead. Police said the 48-year-old man ended his life, unable to cope with his son’s loss.