‘No guarantee I’d do well again’: Nagpur NEET aspirant’s suicide note reveals as family points to exam cancellation
Her parents claimed that she was suffering from depression after the exam was cancelled following allegations of paper leak
A 20-year-old NEET aspirant in Nagpur, whose family alleges the trauma of the exam's paper leak and subsequent cancellation led to her suicide, is one of at least two such student deaths linked to the controversy, with another 17-year-old in Jharkhand also reportedly distressed and deceased following the event. The deceased aspirant, who had expressed in a suicide note her anxiety about re-taking the exam, had dreamt of becoming a doctor despite her family's financial struggles. Public health experts highlight that such disruptions to national exams can severely impact student mental health, escalating academic stress into profound psychological distress and uncertainty about future prospects. In response to the widespread allegations of irregularities, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is preparing a comprehensive report for the government and the National Testing Agency (NTA), potentially recommending a complete overhaul of the examination processes to prevent recurrence, while 13 individuals have already been arrested in connection with the paper leak that led the NTA to cancel the NEET-UG exam on May 12, with a re-exam scheduled for June 21.
A 20-year-old NEET aspirant in Nagpur, whose family alleges the trauma of the exam's paper leak and subsequent cancellation led to her suicide, is one of at least two such student deaths linked to the controversy, with another 17-year-old in Jharkhand also reportedly distressed and deceased following the event. The deceased aspirant, who had expressed in a suicide note her anxiety about re-taking the exam, had dreamt of becoming a doctor despite her family's financial struggles. Public health experts highlight that such disruptions to national exams can severely impact student mental health, escalating academic stress into profound psychological distress and uncertainty about future prospects. In response to the widespread allegations of irregularities, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is preparing a comprehensive report for the government and the National Testing Agency (NTA), potentially recommending a complete overhaul of the examination processes to prevent recurrence, while 13 individuals have already been arrested in connection with the paper leak that led the NTA to cancel the NEET-UG exam on May 12, with a re-exam scheduled for June 21.
A 20-year-old NEET aspirant in Nagpur, whose family alleges the trauma of the exam's paper leak and subsequent cancellation led to her suicide, is one of at least two such student deaths linked to the controversy, with another 17-year-old in Jharkhand also reportedly distressed and deceased following the event. The deceased aspirant, who had expressed in a suicide note her anxiety about re-taking the exam, had dreamt of becoming a doctor despite her family's financial struggles. Public health experts highlight that such disruptions to national exams can severely impact student mental health, escalating academic stress into profound psychological distress and uncertainty about future prospects. In response to the widespread allegations of irregularities, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is preparing a comprehensive report for the government and the National Testing Agency (NTA), potentially recommending a complete overhaul of the examination processes to prevent recurrence, while 13 individuals have already been arrested in connection with the paper leak that led the NTA to cancel the NEET-UG exam on May 12, with a re-exam scheduled for June 21.
Fourteen days after a 20-year-old NEET aspirant died by suicide in Nagpur, her family has alleged that the trauma of the recent paper leak and sudden cancellation of the exam drove her to the edge.
Parents made the claim after they found the suicide note in her book.
"I had high hopes of scoring good marks in the NEET exam, but now there is no guarantee that I will perform just as well if I have to take the paper again," she wrote in the note.
The girl from the Mauganj district of Madhya Pradesh used to live in Nagpur.
Public health experts note that abrupt disruptions to major national exams take a devastating toll on student mental health, transforming academic stress into severe psychological distress as aspirants face sudden uncertainty about their futures.
According to her relatives, she had slipped into depression after the exam was cancelled. "My daughter was brilliant in her studies and always dreamt of becoming a doctor. Despite our limited means, we took loans," said her father. He also recounted that she was happy and confident of being selected before the exams.
Earlier, a 17-year-old NEET aspirant was found dead at her residence in Jharkhand's Koderma district. Her family alleged that she was distressed after the exam was cancelled.
Meanwhile, the CBI, which is probing the alleged irregularities, will soon prepare and send a detailed assessment report to the government and the National Testing Agency (NTA). The CBI is set to assess flaws in the exam process and recommend systemic changes to prevent such incidents from recurring.
The federal agency may recommend a complete revamp of the current examination processes.
The NTA cancelled NEET-UG on May 12 following allegations of a paper leak. The re-exam is scheduled for June 21. So far, 13 accused persons have been arrested in connection with the case.