13 Reported Suicides After NEET Paper Leak

Hours before he was scheduled to appear for the forced National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) re-examination, a 17-year-old medical aspirant in Ahmedabad’s Tragad area jumped to his death from the sixth-floor balcony of his residential apartment. According to local police reports, the teenager took the drastic step in the early hours of Thursday, compounding a growing national tragedy.

The tragic death in Ahmedabad is not an isolated incident. It comes as the latest in a devastating wave of student suicides across India that has unfolded over the 46 days since the National Testing Agency (NTA) officially voided the initial May 3, 2026, examination over a massive paper leak scandal.

According to compiled police records and media reports, at least 13 NEET aspirants have taken their own lives due to the crushing pressure, mental exhaustion, and prolonged uncertainty surrounding the forced re-test.

NEET-UG 2026 Controversy  

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) is India’s largest and most high-stakes competitive examination, serving as the sole gateway for admission to undergraduate medical programs (MBBS and BDS) across all government and private institutions. Managed by the NTA, the test sees immense competition, with nearly 2.3 million applicants fiercely competing for fewer than 130,000 available medical seats annually.

The current crisis erupted shortly after the May 3 exam, when allegations surfaced that nearly 140 questions from the final paper appeared to match alleged leaked questions shared before the exam. Bowing to immense public outcry and investigative police inputs, the NTA officially voided the exam on May 12 “in the interest of students” and transferred the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

A nationwide re-examination was subsequently ordered for June 21, 2026.

While the exam itself inherently generates high anxiety among young aspirants, the sudden cancellation shattered the morale of students who had already spent years preparing. The sudden shifting of goalposts and the agonising mandate to re-study under a cloud of systemic corruption plunged thousands of households into deep distress.

Grieving families and local police reports have brought the harrowing details of multiple casualties into sharp focus.

Delhi: The national capital registered three separate student deaths during this high-stress period. Among them was 18-year-old Renu Meena, originally from Alwar, Rajasthan, who was living in Delhi to attend coaching classes and died by suicide in her accommodation. Delhi Police and family members stated that she had been working toward the rescheduled test but was visibly struggling with immense anxiety after the initial May 3 exam was officially scrapped.

Another case involved a 20-year-old medical aspirant living in northwest Delhi's Azadpur area who took her own life during the high-stress window between the cancellation and the rescheduled test date, with family statements citing overwhelming performance anxiety compounded by the shifting dates.

A third separate student suicide involved a 17-year-old aspirant identified as Renu, who was found dead at her home in Palam Colony in southwest Delhi. Police told ANI that a handwritten note was recovered from the scene, in which she reportedly apologised to her parents and said she had failed to fulfil their expectations.

Uttar Pradesh: India’s most populous state has also recorded two heartbreaking losses. A 17-year-old girl took her life at her home in Lucknow's Aishbagh area shortly after the NTA announced the cancellation. Lucknow Police noted that according to her grieving family, she had performed exceptionally well during the initial May 3 exam and fell into deep despair upon learning her score would no longer count.

In Lakhimpur Kheri, a 20-year-old student who had spent three years preparing for the medical entrance exam died by suicide, devastating his family on what was his third attempt at clearing the test; the student's father publicly alleged that the systemic failure of the paper leaks and the subsequent order to rewrite the exam caused his son unbearable mental trauma.

Rajasthan: A 23-year-old student who had been dedicating months to rigorous revision at a coaching hub in Sikar, Rajasthan, died by suicide in his rented room following the announcement that his initial efforts were voided due to the paper leak.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh told PTI that the preliminary investigation indicated that the student was under severe, acute stress triggered immediately by the news of the exam's cancellation.

In a second case, within 30 days, another NEET aspirant allegedly died by suicide in Rajasthan's Sikar city. The 22-year old. identified as Umesh Mali, he left behind a letter stating: “ Main is duniya se dur ja raha hun, sorry (I am going away from this world, sorry),” officials told Indian Express. The now-cancelled May 2026 examination was Umesh’s third attempt.

Maharashtra: In Nagpur, a 20-year-old student named Akanksha Chaturvedi was found dead by suicide, leaving a note tucked inside one of her medical preparation textbooks. Local police recovered the note, which directly outlined her fears, stating, “I had high hopes of scoring good marks... but now there is no guarantee that I will perform just as well if I have to take the paper again.”

Uttarakhand: In Dehradun, a 23-year-old female medical aspirant took her own life in her residence, leaving behind a note addressed to her parents. Uttarakhand Circle Officer Ankit Kandari told ANI that the recovered note expressed deep affection for her father but explicitly blamed her actions on a crushing sense of “perceived incompetence” under the renewed exam pressure.

Tamil Nadu: In Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, a high-achieving 19-year-old female student, who was the daughter of a local trade union leader, took her own life after experiencing severe panic regarding her ability to repeat her initial high performance.

ANI reported that local police recovered a suicide note left by the student, which poignantly read, “I am sorry for being a burden. It's nobody's fault but my own incompetence.”

Jharkhand: A 16-year-old female medical aspirant from Bihar allegedly died by suicide at her rented accommodation in Chitragupta Nagar area. The deceased was identified as Ruchi Kumari.

Ruchi had appeared for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) held last month and was highly confident of securing a seat. She was very optimistic about her performance. The cancellation and rescheduling of the exam deeply upset her. She remained under severe stress despite counselling and family support,” medical representative told Times of India. 

The series of deaths has turned into a massive political flashpoint across India. Opposition groups, including the Congress party, and student bodies have held protests demanding strict accountability and structural overhauls of the NTA, accusing the administration of failing to protect the futures of millions of youths.

As the CBI continues to make arrests across states regarding the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy, the NTA has maintained that the June 21 re-test will proceed under heavily fortified security protocols.

Mental Health Support and Suicide Helplines

If you or someone you know is struggling with exam stress, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts, please know help is available.

Tele-MANAS (Government of India): 14416
Aasra (Mumbai-based mental health NGO): 022 2754 6669