18-Year-Old JEE Aspirant Dies By Suicide in Kota, 2nd this Year

Kota: In a heart-wrenching incident, an 18-year-old JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) aspirant from Kota, Rajasthan, was found dead by suicide just two days before her scheduled examination on January 31. This marks the second suicide in Kota within a week and adds to the concerning trend in the city.

The victim, identified as Niharika, a resident of the Shiksha Nagri area, left a poignant suicide note for her parents, expressing her inability to cope with the pressures of JEE preparation. In the note, she referred to herself as the “worst daughter” and described her decision as her “last option.”

This tragic incident follows closely on the heels of another suicide on January 23, when a 17 or 18-year-old NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) aspirant, Mohammad Zaid from Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, took his own life in Kota. Zaid, who was enrolled in a NEET coaching program in the city, was discovered hanging in his hostel room. Notably, no suicide note was found in his case.

Kota, renowned for its coaching institutes specializing in engineering and medical entrance exams, has been grappling with a concerning rise in student suicides. In 2023 alone, the city recorded 29 such incidents, prompting authorities to urgently address the mental health challenges faced by students in the intense academic environment of coaching centres.