A 19-year-old medical entrance aspirant from rural Maharashtra died by suicide at her home after receiving lower-than-expected marks in the NEET re-examination, police confirmed on Monday. The incident has once again drawn attention to the intense pressure on students competing for limited medical seats and the string of similar tragedies that sparked nationwide protests earlier this year.
Ankita Sangle, a resident of Jalalpur village in Karjat taluka of Ahilyanagar district, was found unresponsive at her residence on Saturday afternoon around 4.30 pm. Her parents and elder brother had travelled to Pandharpur for the Ashadhi Ekadashi pilgrimage, leaving her alone at home. Family members discovered her after returning and alerted local authorities. Karjat police have started investigating the circumstances.
Sangle had scored 166 marks in the re-test. The qualifying cutoff stood near 177. Relatives told investigators she had prepared diligently through online coaching and had expected a stronger result. A handwritten note recovered from the scene, written in Marathi, expressed deep regret toward her family. She wrote that they had given her abundant love and support, with her mother standing by her “like a friend in every difficulty” and her brother offering even greater care. She insisted they bore no responsibility for her decision. The note further stated that the family had sacrificed everything while she studied for NEET, yet she had failed to fulfil their wishes. She urged her brother to ensure their parents lacked nothing. “You sacrificed everything, I failed…”, the note read.
The death forms part of a grim pattern linked to the NEET-UG 2026 examination. The original test held on May 3 was cancelled on May 12 following allegations of a widespread question-paper leak. A re-examination took place on June 21. In the intervening period and after the re-test, multiple aspirants across several states died by suicide. Families and activists attributed the deaths to the sudden uncertainty, repeated preparation costs, and crushing emotional strain. Reports compiled by media and campaign groups pointed to more than a dozen such cases in the weeks surrounding the controversy.
These tragedies triggered large-scale protests organised by the student-driven Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Demonstrations unfolded at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and in cities including Patna, Katihar, Kolkata, Pune, Nagpur and Mumbai. Protesters - students, parents and supporters - demanded the resignation of the then Union Education Minister, financial compensation for bereaved families, withdrawal of cases filed against demonstrators, and structural reforms to reduce the high-stakes nature of national entrance examinations. Parents of earlier victims joined the gatherings, sharing accounts of loans taken, careers paused and hopes shattered. The agitation continued for weeks until the government accepted key demands, including the minister’s resignation and assurances on compensation. CJP subsequently called off the protests. CJP has so far claimed that more than 20 students have ended their lives owing to the NEET paper leaks and subsequent cancellation of exam by the NTA
NEET continues to place enormous pressure on young candidates, many from modest backgrounds who view medical careers as a path to economic security for entire families. The latest case in Ahilyanagar has prompted fresh calls for accessible counselling services, reduced reliance on coaching centres, and greater institutional support during periods of examination disruption.
Police in Karjat are continuing their inquiry. Sangle’s family remains in mourning, left with a note that captured both gratitude for their sacrifices and the overwhelming sense of personal failure that accompanied a single set of results.
