NEET 2026: Prayagraj aspirant dies by suicide after failing exam

In short

An 18-year-old girl died by suicide in Prayagraj on Monday, allegedly after failing the NEET examination.
The girl used her father's licensed revolver and left a suicide note stating she could not clear the exam.
In Maharashtra, a 19-year-old NEET aspirant, Suraj Subhash Shinde, also died by suicide on Wednesday.
Several other NEET aspirant suicides have been reported across India this year, some linked to re-examination pressure.

An 18-year-old girl died by suicide in Prayagraj district on Monday, allegedly after failing to clear the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) examination. The incident occurred in the Trivenipuram locality under the Jhunsi police station area, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police (City) Sagar Jain.

The girl, who was preparing for the next cycle of the NEET, used her father’s licensed revolver. Her death adds to a series of reported suicides involving NEET aspirants across India this year, highlighting the intense pressure associated with the medical entrance exam.

Prayagraj Incident Details

The 18-year-old, whose father is a retired engineer with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), was found by family members on Monday after she did not wake up by 3 pm. She reportedly maintained a rigorous study schedule, often studying until 4-5 am and waking around 2:30 pm.

A suicide note was recovered from the scene, in which the girl wrote, “I will never be able to clear the NEET examination. Please forgive me.” The body has been sent for a post-mortem examination, and further legal proceedings are underway, police confirmed.

Maharashtra and Other Reported Cases

In a separate incident, a 19-year-old NEET aspirant, Suraj Subhash Shinde, died by suicide in Maharashtra. Suraj, from Khandala village in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, was found unresponsive by his family when they returned home around 2 pm on Wednesday. He was rushed to Vaijapur Sub-District Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Vaijapur police have registered an accidental death case, and Suraj also left a note for his parents, stating, “Sorry Aai and Appa, in my next life I will become a doctor for you. Take care of yourselves and stay happy.”

This year has seen several other deaths by suicide involving NEET aspirants across India. One such case involved 19-year-old Sheikh Sana in Tamil Nadu, whose family attributed her death to fear and pressure surrounding the re-examination. By July, Reuters reported that more than a dozen student suicides had been linked to the NEET cancellation crisis, underscoring the significant emotional and psychological toll the examination process can take on students and their families.

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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