Nagpur: Days after an 18-year-old female NEET aspirant hailing from Madhya Pradesh allegedly ended her life in Maharashtra’s Nagpur, her family stumbled upon a note written by her, in which she apologised to them, saying she did not have the courage to appear for a retest of the medical entrance.
In the emotional note, the student, Akanksha Chaturvedi, said there was “no guarantee” that she would score good marks in the retest, and said she had “ruined everything” for them.
Akanksha had appeared for the NEET-UG exam on May 3. After the test, she was upbeat and confident that she would score good marks. But the cancellation of that exam following allegations of a paper leak dashed her hopes and left her anxious and upset, according to her family members.
“Mummy, Papa… you trusted me to study and become a doctor. But I do not have the courage to appear for a retest. I was going to score good marks in the first exam, but there is no guarantee I will do so again. Sorry, Mummy, Papa. I have ruined everything for both of you,” she wrote, according to a report of PTI.
A native of Madhya Pradesh’s Mauganj district, Akanksha was preparing for the prestigious medical entrance examination at a coaching institute in Nagpur. According to her family, she returned home after the May 3 exam feeling hopeful and believed she could score over 650 marks.
However, after reports of the alleged paper leak emerged and the examination was cancelled, her family noticed a significant change in her behaviour. They said she became increasingly distressed and worried about having to go through the entire process again.
On May 20, Akanksha was found hanging in her room at the family’s residence in Nagpur. While no note was initially recovered, the letter later discovered by her family has now become a key part of the police investigation.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Nityanand Jha told PTI that the note has been submitted to the authorities and is being examined as part of the ongoing probe. Police officials said the contents of the note indicate that Akanksha was deeply anxious about the retest and uncertain about repeating her earlier performance.
Her father, Krishna Kumar Chaturvedi, a small farmer who also worked as a cook in Nagpur to support the family’s education expenses, told investigators that his daughter had been highly motivated and optimistic after the original examination.
The tragic incident has once again sparked concerns about the intense academic pressure faced by students preparing for competitive exams, especially when unexpected developments such as exam cancellations and rescheduling add to their stress and uncertainty.
Police said statements of family members have been recorded, and all aspects mentioned in the note are being thoroughly investigated.
