A 19-year-old NEET aspirant died by suicide in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri district on Tuesday, allegedly devastated after the cancellation of the NEET PG exam. The deceased, identified as Ravi Kumar, was a resident of the Lakhimpur town and had been preparing for the medical entrance test for over a year.
Incident Details
According to police, Ravi was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his room on Tuesday morning. His father, Ram Kumar, a local shopkeeper, said that his son was shattered after the National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the NEET PG examination scheduled for March 2021. The cancellation was announced last week due to a technical glitch in the computer-based test.
"He had been studying day and night for the exam. When he heard about the cancellation, he became very depressed. We tried to console him, but he was inconsolable," Ram Kumar told reporters.
Family's Grief
The family has alleged that Ravi was under immense pressure and blamed the cancellation for his extreme step. "He had prepared so hard. The cancellation broke his spirit. The authorities should have handled the situation better," the father added.
Ravi's mother, Sita Devi, said that her son had stopped eating properly after the announcement. "He kept saying that his future was ruined. We did not think he would take such a drastic step," she said.
Police Investigation
Circle Officer of Lakhimpur, Rajesh Singh, said that the body has been sent for post-mortem and an investigation is underway. "No suicide note has been found. We are recording statements of family members and neighbors to ascertain the exact cause," Singh said.
The incident has once again brought to light the intense pressure faced by medical aspirants in India. Experts have called for better mental health support for students preparing for competitive exams.
Reactions
Local political leaders expressed condolences and demanded compensation for the family. The district administration has assured all possible help. Meanwhile, the NTA has not yet commented on the incident.
This is the second such incident in Uttar Pradesh in recent months. In March, a medical aspirant in Prayagraj had also died by suicide after the NEET exam was postponed.
