In the 46 days between the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 due to the paper leak scandal and the re-exam scheduled for June 21, at least 11 NEET aspirants across India reportedly died by suicide, according to police records, family accounts and media reports.
While investigations are still ongoing in many cases and a direct link has not been officially proven in many, grieving families, suicide notes and police statements have repeatedly highlighted the intense stress associated with the country’s largest medical entrance exam. More than 2.27 million students in 551 cities attended the test before it was cancelled.
Now, as candidates prepare to take the exam again, and the Central Bureau of Investigation continues its probe into the leak, reports of deaths in Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra and Karnataka have highlighted the human toll of the controversy.
Note – Talking about suicide may be distressing for some readers. If you or someone you know is struggling with emotional problems, help is available. Pune-based NGO Connecting provides emotional support through mindfulness-based active listening. Helpline: 1800-209-4353 (toll-free) and 9922001122.
1. Tamil Nadu
In Coimbatore, the death of a 19-year-old has reignited Tamil Nadu’s longstanding opposition to NEET.
The student, the daughter of a union leader, scored 96.7 percent in the twelfth grade and later emerged as one of the top achievers in the college. A suicide note found after her death said: “I’m sorry for being a burden. This is no one’s fault but my incompetence. The best option is to end it. I love you. I’m sorry,” news agency ANI reported.
2. Rajasthan
At the Rajasthan Coaching Center in Sikar, police are investigating whether the cancellation of the test contributed to the death of a student who spent three years preparing for the test.
The 23-year-old died by suicide days after the screening was cancelled. However, no suicide note was found. Deputy Inspector of Police Sandeep Singh said, “It is possible that the student was either depressed due to his performance in the exam or stressed since he received the news of the exam being canceled due to paper leakage. However, the truth is yet to be ascertained,” news agency PTI reported.
3. Three deaths in Delhi
Three separate deaths were reported from Delhi.
In northwest Delhi’s Azadpur, a 20-year-old NEET student allegedly died by suicide. Police said that no suicide note was found, and the cause of her death remains unclear. “The victim was a NEET student. We are investigating why she took this extreme step,” an officer told PTI.
Days later, a 17-year-old student named Renu was found dead in her home in Palam Colony in southwest Delhi. According to Delhi Police, quoted by ANI, she appeared for the medical entrance examination and was allegedly suffering from depression afterwards. A handwritten note was reportedly found from the scene in which she apologized to her parents and said she had failed to meet their expectations.
Another case involves 18-year-old Renu Meena, a native of Alwar district in Rajasthan who was living in Delhi while preparing for the medical entrance exam. According to her family members, she was working on retaking the test but was experiencing stress after the original test was cancelled. Speaking to CNN-News18, her uncle Yogesh Meena said she has been under a lot of stress since the May 3 exam was cancelled.
4. Uttar Pradesh
A 17-year-old student from a railway colony in Lucknow’s Aishbagh area died by suicide after appearing for NEET, Indian media reported in Jagran. Family members told police that she performed well in the examination and was confident about her chances. But they said she became distressed after the examination was cancelled.
5. Uttarakhand
A 23-year-old NEET student in Dehradun allegedly died by suicide while preparing for re-examination.
The police said that she achieved 96.7% in the twelfth grade, and later topped her college. A letter recovered from the scene expressed her affection for her parents and indicated dissatisfaction with her academic achievements. “In the note, the woman expressed her affection for her father and said that no one could be blamed for her death and attributed the decision to her incompetence,” said Ankit Kandhari, circle officer.
6. Maharashtra
A 20-year-old student died by suicide in Nagpur, and in a note found by her parents, she claimed that the controversy over paper leakage and cancellation of NEET contributed to her decision.
The family said they later found an alleged suicide note in one of her books after returning to their native village in Madhya Pradesh following her last rites. “I had high hopes of getting good grades in NEET, but now there is no guarantee that I will do well if I have to take the paper again. I’m sorry mom and dad. I’ve ruined everything,” she allegedly wrote in the note.
7. Karnataka
An 18-year-old girl in Karnataka’s Kalaburagi district allegedly died by suicide days after the NEET exam was cancelled.
As reported by PTI, her father said, “She did well (in NEET), and everything was going well. Maybe she had some feelings in her mind about writing NEET again. I’m not blaming anyone, I’m not accusing anyone. We don’t know her pain or suffering. What can I say?”
The aspiring student reportedly scored 92 per cent in her pre-university exams and performed well in NEET.
8. Uttar Pradesh
A 20-year-old in Lakhimpur Khiri allegedly died by suicide amid concerns over the exam being cancelled. Family members said he had been preparing for NEET for three years and had rejected alternative courses as he wanted to pursue an MBBS degree.
According to his relatives, he was optimistic about his performance in what was his third attempt. However, his father claimed that reports of paper leaks and the subsequent cancellation of the exam caused extreme stress and anxiety. No suicide note was found from the scene.
9. Gujarat
In another case, a 17-year-old NEET student allegedly died by suicide on Thursday in Ahmedabad hours before he was scheduled to appear for NEET-UG re-examination.
According to police, the teenager jumped from the balcony of his sixth-floor apartment in the Tragad area in the early hours of Thursday. A security guard spotted him lying in the common area of the apartment complex and notified residents. He was taken to the hospital, where doctors declared his death.
Sabarmati Police Inspector YR Vaghela told PTI that the incident took place around 2.55 am. Police said that no suicide note was found from the scene, and the circumstances that led to his death are being investigated.
