• Source:JND

 A 23-year-old NEET UG aspirant from Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu District died by suicide on Friday. The victim's father, in an interview, said that his son, Pradeep Mahich, had been preparing for the competitive exam for the last three years.

The father, identified as Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, mentioned that his son performed well in the exams and was expecting above 650. When he heard that the paper was leaked and a re-examination would be held, he was shattered. Unable to handle the shock, the guy died by suicide in Sikar.

Pradeep's body was recovered hanging from a ceiling fan in his rented room on Sikar's Piprali Road.His sister found his body on Friday afternoon. His sister was in the bathroom when the incident occurred. She immediately cut the scarf with scissors and alerted the landlord and police. Mahich's body was shifted to the hospital immediately; however, he was declared dead. The Udyog Nagar police have registered a case and initiated an investigation. No suicide note was found at the scene.

ALSO READ: From Quiet Town To 'Mini-Kota': How Sikar’s Integrated Model Attracts JEE And NEET Aspirants

His father works as a labourer and a farmer. He said that the family had invested at least Rs 8-11 lakh in his education. They have not even built their house. According to ANI, Pradeep fell into a deep state of depression after he heard about the cancellation of the medical entrance exams.

The National Testing Agency cancelled the NEET UG 2026 examination earlier this week. At least 22 lakh aspirants were affected after the paper leak.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday announced that the re-examination will be held on June 21. He also said the medical entrance test will move to a computer-based format from next year.

Ex-Deputy CM Expresses Grief

Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot said the NEET paper leak and subsequent exam cancellation have triggered anxiety among aspirants.

In a post on X, he said, "The suicide of Pradeep, a student from Gudha Gaudji in Jhunjhunu district who was preparing for the NEET exam, is extremely heartbreaking. Similarly, reports of students' suicides following incidents related to the NEET 2026 paper leak from Goa and Uttar Pradesh are deeply disturbing to the mind. I extend my deepest condolences to the grieving families who have lost their loved ones."

ALSO READ: NEET UG 2026 Row: Handwritten 'Guess Paper' in Rajasthan Matches 600 Marks; Details Here

Similar Suicide Cases

In Delhi's Azadpur, a 20-year-old NEET aspirant allegedly died by suicide at her house. Police on Friday said no suicide note was found, and the exact reason is yet to be ascertained. Her family later took the body to a crematorium without informing police.

"The victim was a NEET aspirant. We are probing as to why she took the extreme step. No suicide note has been found during the investigation," the officer had said, news agency PTI reported.

Ritik Mishra, 21, from Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, allegedly died by suicide on Thursday after being distressed by the cancellation of the NEET-UG exam over paper leak allegations, his family said. They added he was confident about his third attempt. No suicide note was recovered, though his family attributed the incident to the exam row.

A 17-year-old boy in the South Goa district also allegedly died by suicide. The boy, who hanged himself at his home in Margao on Wednesday evening, had appeared for NEET-UG 2026, though his suicide note cited academic stress as the reason. He would not be able to crack competitive exams and balance studies with his love for hockey, the note said.

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