NEET protest: Film industry veterans join student protest in city colleges

Student bodies across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are protesting against the NEET implementation in the state after the death of a 17 year-old Dalit student Anitha from Ariyalur district.

On Tuesday morning, hundreds of students from Nandanam Arts college and Loyola college protested with banners and shouting out slogans demanding justice for Anitha, who committed suicide last week after the apex court had made NEET a compulsory means of selection and admission for universities. One of the students said that, "It is a peaceful protest and we do not want to cause inconvenience to public."

The protest was also joined by veterans from film industry like actress Rohini, director Vetrimaran, director Gowthaman who extended their support by their presence outside Loyola College. Police has been deployed for the security purpose and to ensure a peaceful protest. 

Talking to the reporters present at the venue outside one of  the colleges, Director Vetrimaran said, " I extend my full support to the students across the state who are affected by the NEET implementation. This protest is by the students for the students, I am mere a supporter."

Anitha had secured a high score of 1176/1200 in her Class 12 board exams and rejected the offer from Madras Institute of Technology for Aeronautical Engineering,  eager to get into medical college. However, as she had scored only 86/700 in NEET exams, she could not get into a good government medical college in the counselling.

Also in one of the video that surfaced, Anitha said she could not afford NEET coaching and she was concerned that it would affect her chances of getting a seat. After her death, her family had rejected the Tamil Nadu government's offer of Rs seven lakh in financial aid and said that she had died for the NEET exemption and not the government aid.