In a tragic incident, a 16-year-old student preparing for the National Entrance Eligibility Test (NEET) in Kota, Rajasthan, was found dead in his hostel room on Sunday morning. The student, a native of Bihar, had been residing in Kota for the past year to prepare for the competitive examination.
Jawahar Nagar Station House Officer (SHO) Harinarayan Sharma reported that the student had returned to his room after dinner on Saturday night. When he did not respond to knocks on his door the following morning and missed his scheduled activities, hostel authorities broke open the door and found him lying dead on his bed. The police were called to the scene and transported the boy to the hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. The body has been sent for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
SHO Sharma stated that no suicide note was found in the student’s belongings, and no recent behavioral changes had been reported. Authorities are investigating whether the student had recently attempted the NEET examination. The student’s family has been informed of the incident.
This case adds to a concerning pattern in Kota, known as the hub of India’s test-preparation industry, which is estimated to be worth Rs. 10,000 crore annually. Students from across the country flock to Kota after completing Class X to enroll in residential test-preparation institutes and schools, which mainly provide certification.
The competitive environment and immense pressure to succeed have taken a toll on students’ mental health. This year alone, 13 students preparing for NEET or the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) in Kota have allegedly died by suicide. Last year, 27 students preparing for various competitive examinations reportedly took their own lives.
Kota’s coaching institutes prepare students for their Class XII examinations and entrance exams such as NEET and JEE. However, the intense pressure to excel in these exams has raised concerns about the mental well-being of the young aspirants. Authorities and educational institutions are being urged to provide better support systems and mental health resources to help students cope with the stress and demands of their studies.
