NEET Aspirant Akanksha Chaturvedi Suicide: Rahul Gandhi Blames ‘Broken System’ After MP Student’s Death Amid Exam Leak Row
What began as a dream of lifting her family out of poverty through education ended in tragedy for 18-year-old NEET aspirant Akanksha Chaturvedi, who allegedly died by suicide in Nagpur after reportedly falling into depression amid controversy surrounding alleged irregularities and a paper leak linked to the medical entrance examination.
What began as a dream of lifting her family out of poverty through education ended in tragedy for 18-year-old NEET aspirant Akanksha Chaturvedi, who allegedly died by suicide in Nagpur after reportedly falling into depression amid controversy surrounding alleged irregularities and a paper leak linked to the medical entrance examination.
Akanksha, a resident of Maganiya village in Madhya Pradesh's Mauganj district, was found hanging in her room in Nagpur on May 20, where she had been preparing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) through a coaching institute. NEET UG 2026 Controversy: Brokers Allegedly Offer Government Medical Seats Through OMR Sheet Manipulation.
NEET Aspirant Akanksha Chaturvedi Suicide
Note left behind by a NEET aspirant who killed herself
"Mom and Dad, you had faith that your daughter would study hard and become a doctor, but I no longer have the courage to take the NEET exam again. I was scoring good marks in my first attempt, but now there is no guarantee… pic.twitter.com/iPX8vg4rJH
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) June 4, 2026
Days later, a handwritten note recovered by the family revealed the emotional burden she had been carrying.
"Mom and Dad, you had faith that your daughter would study hard and become a doctor, but I no longer have the courage to take the NEET exam again," Akanksha wrote.
"I was scoring good marks in my first attempt, but now there is no guarantee that I will perform well again. I am sorry, Mom and Dad. I have ruined everything."
According to family members, Akanksha had returned home after the examination feeling confident about her performance.
Rahul Gandhi Blames ‘Broken System’ After MP Student’s Death
आकांक्षा डॉक्टर बनकर देश और समाज की सेवा करना चाहती थी। आकांक्षा के पिता किसान हैं। बेटी के डॉक्टर बनने के सपने के लिए किसान क्रेडिट कार्ड पर ₹3 लाख का कर्ज़ लिया। और नागपुर में खुद कुक की नौकरी कर ली, ताकि बेटी वहाँ coaching कर सके।
एक पिता ने जो कर सकता था, सब किया।
फिर NEET… https://t.co/yaIHayXfrG
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 4, 2026
"She was extremely happy after the exam and told us she expected to score more than 650 marks," said her uncle, Jagdish Prasad Chaturvedi.
"But when reports about the paper leak started appearing, she went into deep shock. She stopped eating, stopped talking much and remained disturbed. We never imagined things would end this way."
Akanksha's father, Krishna Kumar Chaubey, is a small farmer who made enormous sacrifices to support his daughter's dream of becoming a doctor. Family members said he took a loan of nearly INR 3 lakh through a Kisan Credit Card and also borrowed money from relatives to fund her education. NEET-UG Paper Leak Row: Parliamentary Panel To Review Issues Related to NEET, NTA and CBSE Exams.
Apart from farming a small piece of land, he reportedly worked as a cook in Nagpur to cover coaching fees and living expenses.
The incident has triggered a political debate, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressing grief and anger over the student's death.
In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi wrote that Akanksha wanted to become a doctor and serve the country and society. He said her father, a farmer, had taken a ₹3 lakh loan through a Kisan Credit Card and even worked as a cook in Nagpur so that his daughter could pursue coaching for NEET.
"A father did everything he possibly could for his daughter. Then the NEET paper leak happened. The examination was cancelled. Amid that uncertainty, Akanksha left us forever," Gandhi wrote.
Targeting the government over the examination controversy, Gandhi said, "Akanksha's death is not a suicide. It is the result of a corrupt and broken system created under Prime Minister Narendra Modi."
He also questioned Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, writing, "And Dharmendra Pradhan ji? He is still in his chair. Once again, the same committee, the same transfers, the same investigation. No reform, no justice."
In a sharp attack on the Centre, Gandhi further stated, "Prime Minister Modi, power is never permanent; it comes and goes. But the extent to which you have damaged India's education system over the last 12 years is a price that an entire generation of young Indians is being forced to pay."
Akanksha's death has reignited concerns about the immense pressure faced by students preparing for highly competitive examinations and the psychological impact that controversies surrounding such exams can have on young aspirants.
For her family, however, the loss is deeply personal. In their modest village home remain the books, notes and dreams of a daughter who hoped to wear a white coat and serve society as a doctor. Instead, her parents are left holding a final letter filled not with hope, but with an apology.
Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Helpline Numbers:
Tele Manas (Ministry of Health) – 14416 or 1800 891 4416; NIMHANS – + 91 80 26995000 /5100 /5200 /5300 /5400; Peak Mind – 080-456 87786; Vandrevala Foundation – 9999 666 555; Arpita Suicide Prevention Helpline – 080-23655557; iCALL – 022-25521111 and 9152987821; COOJ Mental Health Foundation (COOJ) – 0832-2252525.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 04, 2026 11:39 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
