'Re-examination is not justice': NEET aspirant's suicide sparks opposition fury
What's the story
The suicide of a National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) aspirant in Nagpur has intensified the ongoing controversy over exam paper leaks and cancellations. The 20-year-old girl died by suicide in Nagpur on May 20 after allegedly falling into depression following the cancellation of the medical entrance examination. She was found hanging in her room. Her family, originally from Madhya Pradesh, found a suicide note after returning to their village for her last rites.
Note
What she wrote in note
In the note, she wrote, "Mom and Dad, you had faith that your daughter would...become a doctor, but I no longer have the courage to take the NEET exam again." "I was scoring good marks in my first attempt, but now there is no guarantee I will perform well again. I am sorry, Mom and Dad." Her father, a cook in Nagpur, had taken out a loan of ₹3 lakh under the Kisan Credit Card scheme to support her education.
Political backlash
Rahul Gandhi slams PM Modi over exam leaks
The girl's suicide has drawn sharp criticism from several opposition leaders. Rahul Gandhi slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for failing to reform the education system despite repeated exam leaks. He questioned why Dharmendra Pradhan is still the Union Education Minister. "Modi ji, power is not permanent—it comes and goes. But the extent to which you've ruined the education system in 12 years, an entire generation of young Indians is paying the price for it," he wrote.
Call for justice
AAP also criticizes Centre over NEET exam debacle
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal also demanded justice for students who lost their lives due to exam cancellations and paper leak controversies. He said justice could only be achieved by dismantling the "shiksha mafia" in the country. "Conducting the examination again is not justice. The education mafia that has captured the system must be eradicated. So many children have already died by suicide. When will these children get justice for their deaths?" Kejriwal asked.
TMC
How many more tragedies will it take, asks TMC
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) also expressed condolences over the NEET aspirant's death and blamed recurring examination irregularities on the Centre. "How many more tragedies will it take for Narendra Modi ji to wake up?" it asked. Party chief said "This is not an isolated tragedy. It is a grim reminder of the CRUSHING UNCERTAINTY that has come to define India's education system under BJP."
Government criticism
Girl's father reveals why she took extreme step
Calling his daughter a "brilliant student," her father said she always dreamt of becoming a doctor and studied very hard to become one. "But the moment news broke about the...cancellation, she was shattered. My 20 years of hard work went in vain because the government failed to conduct the exam properly," he said. The National Testing Agency (NTA) canceled the exam on May 12 after a paper leak and announced a re-test on June 21.