NEET pressure takes a toll: Kota teen dies by suicide in Rajasthan

In a tragic incident highlighting the intense pressures faced by students preparing for competitive exams, an 18-year-old NEET-UG aspirant allegedly died by suicide in Kota on Thursday night.

The deceased, Juhi Patel , a resident of Chhatarpur district in Madhya Pradesh, had arrived in Kota around two-and-a-half months ago to pursue self-study for the NEET-UG examination. She was living alone in a rented room in the Basant Vihar area and was also taking offline mock tests to prepare for the medical entrance exam, according to Dadabari Station House Officer Baldevram .

Authorities said Juhi allegedly consumed a poisonous substance at her accommodation around 11.30 pm on Thursday. She reportedly began vomiting and was rushed by fellow tenants and the landlord to New Medical College Hospital , where she succumbed during treatment early Friday.

The police have completed the postmortem and handed the body over to her family. A case has been registered under the relevant sections, and investigations are ongoing to determine the reasons behind her extreme step.

Juhi’s father, who arrived in Kota after learning about the incident, said he last spoke with his daughter at around 8 pm on Thursday. “Our conversation was normal. We talked about whether she was eating properly. She did not indicate anything unusual,” he told reporters outside the mortuary. He added that Juhi had decided to come to Kota on her own to focus on NEET preparation and had been dedicatedly self-studying while taking an offline test series.

This incident has once again brought attention to the mental health challenges and pressures faced by students preparing for competitive exams in India.