Who was Akansha Chaturvedi?
An 18-year-old NEET-UG aspirant from mauganj district in Madhya Pradesh, and preparing for NEET-UG exam at a coaching institute in Nagpur, where the whole family had been living.The police report
According to the police, Anushka was found hanged in her room at her family's residence on May 20; at that time, no note was found at the spot. several days while going through her notes and study material, her family members found no note and submitted it to the police station on June 1.What had happened
According to her family members, she was feeling confident of getting a seat in a govt. medical college and was expecting marks around 650, but after the news of the NEET paper leak and the cancellation of the examination, she started feeling worried. On May 20 at noon, around 12 pm, when her family members asked her for lunch, she said she was not hungry and would eat later, and after 3 hours, family members found her hanging in her room at around 3 pm.Not the first caseThis is not the only suicide case due to the NEET paper leak and the re-NEET examination
Rajasthan: Pradeep Meghwal, a 23-year-old aspirant from Jhunjhunu district, allegedly hanged himself at his rented accommodation in Sikar. His family stated he had performed well and expected around 650 marks, but the exam cancellation caused severe distress.
Uttar Pradesh: Ritik Mishra, 21, from Lakhimpur Kheri, allegedly died by suicide after being distressed by the cancellation of the NEET exam, despite being confident about his third attempt.
Goa: A 17-year-old boy in South Goa reportedly died by suicide at his home in Margao. His suicide note cited academic stress and the pressure of balancing studies with his love for hockey.
Delhi: A 20-year-old from Azadpur, Delhi, was pushed to take her own life after the cancellation of the exam. She was taking the exam for the third time, having narrowly missed a seat the previous year.
According to media and reports, at least 14 students linked to NEET have reportedly died by suicide in 2026.
Accountability
The question now is, who is responsible for these deaths?
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has long faced criticism for its repeated failures in conducting examinations with integrity. This is not an isolated incident. The NTA has presided over a pattern of paper leaks and examination irregularities over the past several years, and yet no concrete systemic reform has followed. The NEET-UG 2024 paper leak is only the latest in a growing list of credibility crises under its watch.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, in 2024, had assured the nation that there would be no paper leaks going forward. His exact words now ring hollow in the face of yet another compromised examination. Students and parents across the country are asking. Where is the accountability for that promise?
And NEET is not alone. The SSC GD paper leak scandal similarly exposed deep rot within India's examination infrastructure — pointing to a systemic failure that goes far beyond any single agency or exam. Whether it is NEET-UG, SSC GD, or other competitive examinations, the pattern remains the same: leaks occur, investigations are announced, and students bear the consequences — sometimes fatally.
Akansha Chaturvedi studied for months, expected 650 marks, and was on the verge of realising her dream. The system's failure did not just cancel an examination; it shattered her confidence, her hope, and ultimately, her life. The same is true for the dozens of students across states who saw years of hard work rendered meaningless overnight.
The NTA, the Education Ministry, and the government are responsible for the lives of these students.