Post by Nishitha K S

An 18-year-old lost her life, not because she wasn’t capable, but because the system wasn’t reliable. Her name is Akanksha Chaturvedi, In a small village in Madhya Pradesh, her father, a farmer, took a loan of nearly ₹3 lakh, not for himself but for his daughter’s dream. She wanted to become a doctor, so she left home, moved to another city, stayed in a coaching hostel, and did what lakhs of students in India do every day. She worked hard through long hours, less sleep, and constant pressure, but she kept going because she believed it would be worth it. She appeared for NEET and did well. She was confident and expecting more than 650 marks. For a moment, everything felt right. And then came the news. Paper leaks, irregularities, and talks of re-examination. Suddenly, nothing felt certain anymore. The same exam that once gave her hope now filled her with fear. What if I can’t do it again, what if everything changes. She grew quiet, stopped eating properly, and kept everything inside. On May 20, 2026, Akanksha Chaturvedi died by suicide. Later, her family found her note. “Mummy, papa… you had faith that your daughter would study hard and 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 that I will perform well again. I am sorry… I have ruined everything.” She believed she had ruined everything, but she didn’t. A system did. What are we trying to prove with all these exam leaks and cancellations? That hard work does not matter, that uncertainty is normal, that students must carry the cost of a broken system. No exam is worth a life. #NEET #StudentMentalHealth #EducationSystem #Accountability