‘No courage to take retest, I’m sorry’: NEET aspirant dies by suicide in Nagpur | India News

A total of 22 lakh students appeared for the NEET-UG exam on May 3, hoping to qualify for a seat in medical colleges across the country. The exam was later cancelled owing to a paper leak, and a retest is scheduled for June 21.

Akanksha’s father, Krishna Kumar Chaturvedi, said there was a drastic change in her behaviour after the exam was cancelled.

“She had called after taking the examination. She was very happy with her performance. But as soon as the news of the paper leak and cancellation came, she broke down. She felt all her hard work had gone to waste,” he said.

Chaturvedi, who has worked as a cook in Nagpur for nearly two decades and lived there with his family, said they invested heavily in Akanksha’s education despite financial difficulties.

“My daughter was a brilliant student and always wanted to become a doctor. We took loans of Rs 3 lakh for her education. After the examination, she was confident that she would be selected,” the broken father said.

Akanksha’s uncle, Daddi Prasad Chaturvedi, said she withdrew from family interactions after the exam was cancelled.

“She did not eat properly. She stopped talking to people. She had become convinced that if she could not clear the exam this time, the family would not be able to bear the expenses for another attempt,” he said.

According to relatives, Akanksha had been preparing for NEET for years. The family said loans were taken through a Kisan Credit Card and money was also borrowed from relatives for her coaching and other educational expenses.

Daddi Prasad said the family’s financial situation was a cause of concern for Akanksha. “She understood her father’s condition. He has suffered multiple heart attacks, and large amounts have been spent on treatment. She knew how much pressure the family was under,” he said.

Akanksha died by suicide on May 20. The body was cremated in their hometown in Madhya Pradesh’s Mauganj.

Following a complaint by Akansha’s father, a case of accidental death was registered at Ambazari police station in Nagpur. Krishna Kumar Chaturvedi told police that his daughter was upset after the NEET exam was cancelled.

According to police records, on May 20, the family sat for lunch around noon, but Akanksha said she was not hungry and would eat later. She was in her room, and others at home slept after lunch. When her mother, Neelam, called Akanksha around 3 pm, she got no response. She was later found dead in her room.  Police said they did not find any suicide note at the scene.

Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal slam Centre

As reports about Akanksha’s suicide emerged on social media, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, slammed Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

“Akanksha wanted to become a doctor and serve society. Her father is a farmer… He did everything he could, then the NEET paper leaked, the exam was cancelled, and Akansha left us amid this uncertainty,” he said in a post on X.

Akanksha’s death, he said, is not a suicide but a result of a “collapsed structure”. Slamming Pradhan, Gandhi said he continues in his post and that there had been “neither reform, nor justice”, but only inquiry.

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said no chair is permanent and added that an entire generation is paying the price for the “ruin” of the education system.

Arvind Kejriwal, former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, said a retest is not “justice”. “So many children have died by suicide. When will they get justice?” he asked in a post on X.