NEET Paper Leak Claims Life, Madhya Pradesh Student Dreading Re-Exam Dies By Suicide: 'Do Not Have The Courage To....'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) NEET paper leak fiasco has had far reaching consequences much beyond the administrative hurdles involved in holding a retest. On May 12, National Testing Agency (NTA) announced that it will hold a retest of this national level medical entrance exam. However, this development came out as a stressful news for a National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) aspirant from Madhya Pradesh who was expecting around 650 marks in the competitive exam, NDTV reported.

The gruelling exam and the pressure that came with it was very intense for Akanksha Chaturvedi, who decided to take her life than to appear for the re-exam. The NEET aspirant, who hailed from a humble family of Mauganj district died by suicide after reportedly falling into depression. After the NTA announced that it was cancelling the medical entrance examination, Akanksha Chaturvedi became depressed.

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The aspiring doctor allegedly left a suicide note behind, giving us a glimpse of the status of her mental health after NEET exam was cancelled amid paper leak fiasco. On May 15, NTA announced June 21 (Sunday) as the retest date. However, another long month of waiting, uncertainty and another attempt at NEET created uneasiness and mental strain that was hard to endure for Akanksha, who decided to take her life as "she did not have the courage" to appear for the test again, as revealed by her suicide note.

She was one among the 22.05 lakh students who appeared for the NEET-UG exams this year on May 3. "Mummy Papa, you believed your daughter would study and become a doctor. But I do not have the courage to take the NEET exam again. I have ruined both of you," her suicide note stated.

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Sharing her concern over the uncertainty, she wrote, "There is no guarantee that I will perform well if I appear for the examination again."

According to her family, Akanksha had become deeply distressed in the aftermath of NEET controversy. Her family members suggested that the 18-year-old medical aspirant had been under emotional strain in the weeks leading up to her death. Akanksha's uncle, Jagdish Prasad Chaturvedi, in an interview with the publication revealed that Akanksha was confident that she would clear the exam and secure admission in a prestigious institution, believing in her attempt and performance in NEET UG exam.

Recalling the significant change in Akanksha's behaviour, Jagdish Prasad Chaturvedi said, "She was extremely happy after the exam and told us she expected to score more than 650 marks," adding, "But when reports about the paper leak started appearing, she went into deep shock. She stopped eating, stopped talking much and remained disturbed. We never imagined things would end this way."

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Akanksha, the daughter of a farmer, had managed to appear for the crucial test after sailing past a number of financial hurdles. Meanwhile, Akanksha's family pinned hopes on her medical career rand had reportedly taken a loan of ₹3 lakh through a Kisan Credit Card to fund her coaching in Nagpur. Her father, Krishna Kumar Chaubey, took up odd jobs in Nagpur, even that of a cook to finance household expenses and coaching fees.

Rahul Gandhi reacts over NEET aspirant suicide case

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday reacted over NEET aspirant suicide case and in a post on X launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he alleged that Akanksha's death was a consequence of a corrupt system.

“A father did everything humanly possible. Then, the NEET paper leaked. The examination was cancelled. Amidst that uncertainty, Akanksha left us forever. Akanksha's death was not suicide-it's the consequence of a corrupt, broken system under Modi ji,” the post read.

Pointing fingers at Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and blaming the education system, he added,“Modi ji, power is not permanent-it comes and goes. But the extent to which you've ruined the education system in 12 years, an entire young generation of India is paying the price for it.”

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