2 min readJaipurMay 15, 2026 09:43 PM IST
A 23-year-old NEET aspirant in Rajasthan’s Sikar has died by suicide, with his family saying the cancellation of the medical entrance exam had left him distraught as he was expecting good marks on what was his third attempt.
Pradeep Mahich had been living in rented accommodation in Sikar. His uncle, Shrawan, told The Indian Express, “This was his third NEET attempt. His exam had gone well, and he was expecting 650 marks. However, the news of the cancellation broke him from within.”
The NEET-UG exam, held on May 3, was cancelled by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 12 following allegations of a paper leak.
Pradeep’s landlord, Rajendra, also said he had seemed distraught ever since the exam was cancelled. Rajendra said that one of Pradeep’s sisters, who was living with him, had gone to take a shower and wash clothes when Pradeep took the step. After his sister found him and called out for help, he was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead.
Pradeep was from Jhunjhunu district, and his father, Rajesh, is a labourer. Shrawan said Rajesh is in debt and had sold off his land to pay for Pradeep’s coaching, and that Pradeep was the only brother to three sisters. The one sister staying in Sikar with him had also been preparing for competitive examinations, Shrawan said.
He was renting his accommodation from Rajendra for the last 1.5 years, but he had been in Sikar for a longer period. His uncle said a postmortem would be conducted on Saturday morning. “We want assistance from the government for the family. We also want the government to take strict action against those involved in the paper leak and seize their properties,” Shrawan said.
