Tamil Nadu health helpline sees surge in distress calls after NEET results

The Tamil Nadu government's health helpline set up for providing counselling to National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) aspirants (14417) is flooded with calls from students who failed to crack the exams. After the NEET results were announced on Wednesday, September 7 midnight, the number of calls to the helpline has increased manifold.

The psychological counselling for NEET-UG aspirants began in Tamil Nadu on July 19 as several students in the state had died by suicide last year after failing to crack the exam. Staff working with 104 helplines told IANS that callers are in a distressed state of mind and many callers wanted to know how they can cope up with the reality that they could not crack NEET.

The counsellors told IANS that most of the students who had approached them were those who had got more than 90 per cent marks in core science subjects like Physics, Chemistry and Biology in their Tamil Nadu plus two board examinations.

A counsellor from 104 helpline who is attending to calls said, "Most of the students who are calling have been doing consistently good in academics and scoring high marks in core science subjects. However, they failed to clear the test and hence are dejected and in a highly disturbed and distressed state of mind." She said that they feel that all their studies went in vain and that there was no other option other than ending their life. It may be noted that 1,32,167 students appeared for NEET-UG examinations from Tamil Nadu this year and of which 67,787 qualified.

The helpline staff also said that they had tried to reach out to the 19-year-old girl from Ambattur in Chennai who died by suicide immediately after the results were out. The state government is trying to extend the services of the helpline as the number of distress calls are increasing.

If you are aware of anyone facing mental health issues or feeling suicidal, please provide help. Here are some helpline numbers of suicide-prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.   

Tamil Nadu

State health department's suicide helpline: 104

Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre - 044-24640050 (listed as the sole suicide prevention helpline in Tamil Nadu)

Andhra Pradesh

Life Suicide Prevention: 78930 78930

Roshni: 9166202000, 9127848584

Karnataka

Sahai (24-hour): 080 65000111, 080 65000222

Kerala

Maithri: 0484 2540530

Chaithram: 0484 2361161

Both are 24-hour helpline numbers.

Telangana

State government's suicide prevention (tollfree): 104

Roshni: 040 66202000, 6620200

SEVA: 09441778290, 040 27504682 (between 9 amd and 7 pm)

Aasara offers support to inidviduals and families during an emotional crisis, for those dealing with mental health issues and suicidal ideation, and to those  undergoing trauma after the suicide of a loved one.

24x7 Helpline: 9820466726 

Click here for working helplines across India.