In yet another such incident emerging from Rajasthan's Kota, an 18-year-old National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) aspirant died by suicide on Monday morning. As per the police, the deceased, a resident of Bihar's Chhapra district, was found hanging in his hostel room in the Kunhadi area. The student had been preparing in Kota for the last one year and his exam was scheduled in a few days, they added.
According to police, the student left behind a suicide note requesting that neither his name, photo, nor any details about his family be shared in the media. "I am taking this step. It's no one's fault. This is not because of the NEET exam," the note reportedly read.
Kunhadi police station CI Arvind Bhardwaj confirmed the incident occurred around 6 am on April 21. The hostel owner had informed the police after the student did not respond to knocks on his door. Authorities broke open the door and found the student hanging by a rope from the ceiling fan hook, police said.
Police further said the student had dinner with friends the night before and later texted his sister early in the morning. Concerned by the message, she alerted the hostel manager, following which the incident came to light. The body has been shifted to the hospital mortuary and a postmortem will be conducted after the arrival of his family members, police added.
11th case of suicide this year
It is to be noted here that this was the eleventh student suicide this year that took place in the city famous for its being a coaching hub. Six coaching students -- five JEE, one NEET -- killed themselves in the month of January alone. Seventeen coaching students died by suicide in Kota in 2024.
Kota: A hub for medical, engineering aspirants
Kota has firmly established itself as the epicenter of India's booming test-prep industry, which is valued at an estimated Rs 10,000 crore annually, as per district administration officials. Every year, thousands of students from across the country flock to this coaching hub after completing Class X, aspiring to crack competitive exams. They enroll in residential coaching institutes that dominate the city's landscape, immersing themselves in rigorous preparation. Alongside, most students also register in local schools—primarily to fulfill certification requirements -- while their main focus remains on coaching classes that promise a gateway to prestigious institutions.
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