A section of lawyers in the city today organised a human chain demanding making education a State subject
and exempting Tamil Nadu from NEET.

The protest by the Coimbatore Bar Association was held near the District Court where more than 150 advocates, including 30 women. The chain was around 300 metres reaching the Red Cross Junction.

The lawyers, who boycotted the court proceedings, wanted both the Centre and State governments to remove education from Concurrent List and bring it under the State list.

They raised slogans in support of their demand and also expressed deep regret on the suicide of Anitha, a medical aspirant.

The advocates decided to boycott court tomorrow and hold a rail roko in support of their demands.

Meanwhile, students continued their protest seeking exemption from NEET, forcing authorities to indefinitely close the Government Arts College here.

The students were holding a sit-in dharna on the campus from the day after medical aspirant Anitha from Ariyalur committed suicide. In view of the continued agitation, authorities declared closure of the college last night until further orders, anticipating violence, police said. Students protested when they were asked to vacate the hostels last night. The protest was withdrawn after police assured them of taking up the issue with authorities.

Students who came to the college this morning, returned after seeing the closure notice, police said.