My dream remains incomplete: 19-year-old NEET aspirant dies by suicide in Maharashtra

Mangalore Today News Network

Ahilyanagar, Jul 27, 2026: A 19-year-old NEET aspirant from Maharashtra’s Ahilyanagar district allegedly died by suicide after failing to secure the marks she had hoped for in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), leaving behind a note that laid bare her anguish over an unfulfilled dream of becoming a doctor.

The deceased was a resident of Jalalpur village in Karjat taluka. According to the police, she had appeared for the NEET examination on May 3 and later took the re-examination on June 21 following the revised examination schedule.

Family members said she had expected to score over 300 marks.

However, when the results were declared, she reportedly secured 166 marks, falling 11 marks short of the reported 177-mark qualifying cut-off, leaving her devastated.

According to the police, the incident took place on Saturday, July 25, at around 4.30 pm.

The deceased’s father and brother had travelled to Pandharpur for Ashadhi Ekadashi darshan, while her mother was at home attending to household chores.

Police said the aspirant went into her private study room. After noticing no movement for a prolonged period, her mother opened the door and found her hanging. She was declared dead thereafter.

During the investigation, police recovered a handwritten suicide note from the room.

“I fell into depression because I couldn’t get the expected marks in NEET, and my dream of becoming a doctor remains incomplete. Please do not hold my parents or brother responsible for my death," the note reportedly read.

Police registered a case and were conducting further investigation. Officials said the family had not alleged foul play.

The tragedy comes at a time when NEET remains at the centre of a nationwide debate over examination reforms, transparency and the mounting pressure on students.

For weeks, thousands of students had staged protests in Delhi demanding accountability over the conduct of the medical entrance examination and seeking reforms in the system.

The demonstrations, led by student groups, highlighted concerns over repeated controversies surrounding the examination and the emotional toll on aspirants preparing for highly competitive tests.

The protests eventually culminated in a major political development, with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigning following sustained pressure over the handling of the NEET controversy.

Student organisations had argued that repeated uncertainties surrounding the examination process had severely impacted aspirants across the country, while demanding structural reforms to restore confidence in the system.