An 18-year-old student preparing for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) died by suicide on Monday in Rajasthan’s Kota district. The victim, identified as Niharika, took the extreme step just two days before her scheduled examination.
This marks the second suicide in Kota in nearly a week and adds to the growing tally of such incidents this year.
Niharika was found dead in her room in the Shiksha Nagri area of Kota, where she had been rigorously preparing for the JEE Mains. Her examination was scheduled to be held on January 31.
In a poignant suicide note recovered by the police, Niharika referred to herself as “the worst daughter” and indicated that suicide was “her last option”. The note read, “Mummy and Papa, I can’t do JEE. So, I am committing suicide. I am a loser. I am the reason. I am the worst daughter. Sorry, Mummy and Papa. This is the last option.”
This incident follows closely on the heels of another suicide on January 23, when a student from Uttar Pradesh, Mohammad Zaid, who was preparing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in Kota, was found hanging in his room. No suicide note was found in Zaid’s case.
In an interview with Vibes of India, Komal Bardia, a 19-year-old NEET aspirant from Calcutta, shared her distressing experiences during her first year at Kota’s renowned institute in 2023. She said, “During the early months, roommates and students from nearby rooms often foster a negative environment, frequently emphasising the number of students falling victim to depression. They also circulate videos related to these incidents. As time progresses, reports of suicides become commonplace and are gradually normalised.”
Komal further disclosed that she typically hears about 2–3 students succumbing to suicide each month. She expressed her concern over the mounting pressure faced by students, stating, “We, as students, already face a significant amount of peer pressure. However, the situation is aggravated when teachers add to this pressure through taunting and comparisons.”
Kota, known for its coaching institutes for engineering and medical entrance examinations, witnessed 29 student suicides in 2023. These incidents have raised serious concerns about the mental health issues faced by students in the high-pressure academic environment of coaching centres. Authorities are urgently trying to address these issues to prevent further tragedies.
Suicide prevention and mental health helpline numbers:
If you need support or know someone in need, you may reach out to these helplines;
AASRA: Contact: 9820466726 Email: aasrahelpline@yahoo.com Timings: 24×7 Languages: English, Hindi
Snehi: Contact: 9582208181 Email: snehi.india@gmail.com Timings: 10am – 10pm, all days Languages: English, Hindi, Marathi
Fortis MentalHealth: Contact: 8376804102 Timings: 24×7; All days Languages: Achiku, Assamese, Bengali, Dogri, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Rajasthani, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu
Connecting NGO: Contact: 9922004305, 9922001122 Email: distressmailsconnecting@gmail.com Timings: 12pm – 8pm; All days Languages: English, Hindi, Marathi
Vandrevala Foundation: Contact: 18602662345 Email: help@vandrevalafoundation.com Timings: 24×7 Languages: Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati and English
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