NEET Aspirant's Suicide: Congress leader slams Centre for failing to ensure secure exam process

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar on Thursday slammed the BJP-led Centre over the suicide of a 18-year-old NEET aspirant in Nagpur last month reportedly due to distress from having to appear for the test again.

Akanksha Chaturvedi had appeared for the NEET-UG exam on May 3. After the test, she was upbeat and confident that she would score good marks. But the cancellation of the exam following allegations of a paper leak dashed her hopes and left her anxious and upset, as per her family members.

Her family stumbled upon a note written by her, in which she apologised to them, saying she did not have the courage to appear for a retest of the medical entrance. There was "no guarantee" she would score good marks in the retest, she said in the note, adding she had "ruined everything" for them.

Her death reflects the failure of the country's examination system and the lack of accountability in the education sector, Wadettiwar said in a statement attacking the Union government.

Also read NEET was far from fair even before paper-leak controversies

NEET irregularities

"Akanksha's father, a farmer who had taken a loan under the Kisan Credit Card scheme and worked as a cook to support his family, had struggled for years to help his daughter pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. The irregularities in the NEET examination had undermined the aspirations of lakhs of students," he said while questioning the government's handling of the issue.

The Centre has failed to ensure a transparent and secure examination process despite repeated concerns over paper leaks and examination-related irregularities, the Congress Legislature Party leader alleged.

While seeking accountability from the Union Education Ministry, he claimed inquiry committees and assurances had failed to address the concerns of students and parents.

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NEET Re-Exam 2026

On May 12, the National Testing Agency cancelled the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG)-2026 held on May 3 after paper leak allegations.

A re-examination was then scheduled for June 21. Nearly 23 lakh candidates had registered for the test. Akanksha, a native of Mauganj district in Madhya Pradesh, was preparing for the NEET at a coaching institute in Nagpur. After the announcement of cancellation of the May 3 exam, she was found hanging in her room in Nagpur on May 20.

If you know someone – friend or family member – at risk of suicide, please reach out to them. Those in distress or having suicidal thoughts or tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling 9820466726 or visiting AASRA’s official website or can call iCALL on 9152987821. Here are some more helpline numbers of suicide prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.