Jaipur, June 16: In a tragic incident just before Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Kota on June 17, a 22-year-old NEET aspirant was found dead in Sikar, Rajasthan. This event has brought attention to the growing mental health crisis among students preparing for competitive exams.
Umesh Mali, who was preparing for the NEET exam for the third time, was discovered hanging in his family’s flat in Sikar. The police recovered a suicide note from the scene and have initiated an investigation.
This marks the second suicide of a NEET candidate in Sikar within the past month. According to Rajesh Kumar Budania, the SHO of Industrial Town, Umesh was living in a private residential complex with his mother, elder sister, and younger brother while preparing for the exam. His family found him dead upon returning home in the afternoon. After a post-mortem, the body was handed over to the family. Umesh’s father, Lakshmanram Mali, works as a tiles contractor in Mumbai. The family owns the flat where Umesh was studying.
The NEET re-exam is scheduled for June 21, marking Umesh’s third attempt. Family members informed the police that Umesh had returned to Sikar after dropping his mother off at their ancestral village on Monday morning.
His death occurred just a month after the suicide of 23-year-old Pradeep Mahich from Jhunjhunu district, who also took his life in Sikar while preparing for NEET. Pradeep had been living in a rented house for three years and was known for his academic excellence. However, his family reported that he had been distressed shortly before his death.
Pradeep’s case garnered national attention, leading NSUI National President Vinod Jakhar to facilitate a meeting between Rahul Gandhi and the bereaved family in New Delhi, where Gandhi expressed condolences and offered support. This recent tragedy coincides with Rahul Gandhi’s upcoming visit to Kota.
As the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi is set to participate in an event focused on the pressures faced by students at the country’s largest coaching center. Congress workers have indicated that he will spend approximately four and a half hours interacting directly with students, without any political speeches. This initiative aims to address the concerns and experiences of NEET aspirants.
The Congress party is launching a nationwide student outreach campaign that will focus on issues affecting youth, including alleged irregularities in competitive exams, the NEET question paper leak controversy, and broader concerns regarding the education system.
Meanwhile, officials have stated that the issue of student welfare at coaching centers in Rajasthan has resurfaced following another tragic loss, raising new questions about the effectiveness of existing support systems and the need for systemic reforms.
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