NEET Aspirant's Death: Political Leaders Demand Accountability

The tragic suicide of a NEET aspirant following the exam's cancellation due to alleged paper leaks has ignited a political firestorm, raising serious questions about the integrity of India's competitive examination system and the immense pressure faced by students.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday attacked the Centre over the alleged suicide of a NEET aspirant in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri district, claiming that the student was driven to depression and distress following the cancellation of the medical entrance examination amid paper leak allegations.

Yadav expressed grief over the death of Ritik Mishra, a resident of Gangotri Nagar in Lakhimpur Kheri and a NEET aspirant, and extended condolences to his family.

In a statement, the former UP chief minister said Mishra was deeply disturbed after the NEET examination was cancelled due to the alleged paper leak and ended his life while battling depression and stress.

Praying for peace to the departed soul, Yadav expressed sympathy with the bereaved family.

Political Parties Demand Action After NEET Suicide

The SP also submitted a memorandum to the district magistrate demanding compensation of Rs 2 crore for Mishra's family. The party further demanded Rs 50,000 as travel allowance compensation for students appearing in competitive examinations and sought dismissal of institutions, officials and ministers allegedly linked to the examination irregularities.

Earlier in the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi termed the death of the NEET aspirant a "murder by the system" and questioned how many more such deaths it would take for the government to be held accountable.

In a post on X, Gandhi said, "'No more competitive exams now'. These were the last words of 21-year-old Ritik Mishra from Lakhimpur Kheri. This child, appearing for NEET for the third time, broke down the moment the exam was cancelled."

"In Goa too, a NEET aspirant took his own life. These children didn't lose to the exams -- they were killed by a corrupt system. This isn't suicide -- it's murder by the system," he said.

Government Response to NEET Controversy

Addressing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi asked, "Modi ji -- how many Ritiks will it take to awaken your accountability?"

Ritik, 21, allegedly hanged himself on Thursday at his house in the Gangotrinagar locality of Lakhimpur Kheri. His family claimed he was devastated over the cancellation of the NEET-UG examination following allegations of a paper leak.

According to his father Anoop Mishra, this was Ritik's third attempt at NEET and he was highly confident of clearing the examination this time.

Police said no suicide note was recovered from the room where Ritik was found hanging. The body was sent for post-mortem and an investigation is underway to ascertain the circumstances leading to the death.

NEET Re-Examination Details Announced

The NEET-UG 2024 examination, held on May 5 for admissions to undergraduate medical courses, was cancelled by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on Tuesday following allegations of irregularities and paper leak. More than 22 lakh aspirants have been affected by the cancellation.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday announced that the NEET-UG re-examination will be conducted on June 21 and said the medical entrance examination will shift to a computer-based format from next year as part of reforms.

Pradhan said the government has adopted a "zero tolerance" approach towards irregularities and that strict action is being taken in the matter. He also announced that candidates would be allowed to choose their preferred examination cities again, admit cards would be issued by June 14 and the Centre would coordinate transport arrangements for students with state governments.