A heartbreaking note written by an 18-year-old NEET aspirant from Madhya Pradesh has surfaced days after she allegedly died by suicide in Maharashtra's Nagpur, shedding light on the immense emotional burden she carried following the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination.
Akanksha Chaturvedi, who had appeared for the NEET-UG exam on May 3, was reportedly confident about her performance and hoped to secure a strong score. However, her optimism turned into anxiety after the National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the exam on May 12 over allegations of a paper leak and announced a retest for June 21.
Days after her death, family members discovered a handwritten note among her study materials. In the emotional message, Akanksha apologised to her parents and expressed her fear of taking the examination again.
"Mummy, Papa... you trusted me to study and become a doctor. But I do not have the courage to appear for a retest. I was going to score good marks in the first exam, but there is no guarantee I will do so again. Sorry, Mummy, Papa. I have ruined everything for both of you," she wrote, according to a report of PTI.
A native of Madhya Pradesh's Mauganj district, Akanksha was preparing for the prestigious medical entrance examination at a coaching institute in Nagpur. According to her family, she returned home after the May 3 exam feeling hopeful and believed she could score over 650 marks.
However, after reports of the alleged paper leak emerged and the examination was cancelled, her family noticed a significant change in her behaviour. They said she became increasingly distressed and worried about having to go through the entire process again.
On May 20, Akanksha was found hanging in her room at the family's residence in Nagpur. While no note was initially recovered, the letter later discovered by her family has now become a key part of the police investigation.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Nityanand Jha told PTI that the note has been submitted to the authorities and is being examined as part of the ongoing probe. Police officials said the contents of the note indicate that Akanksha was deeply anxious about the retest and uncertain about repeating her earlier performance.
Her father, Krishna Kumar Chaturvedi, a small farmer who also worked as a cook in Nagpur to support the family's education expenses, told investigators that his daughter had been highly motivated and optimistic after the original examination.
The tragic incident has once again sparked concerns about the intense academic pressure faced by students preparing for competitive exams, especially when unexpected developments such as exam cancellations and rescheduling add to their stress and uncertainty.
Police said statements of family members have been recorded, and all aspects mentioned in the note are being thoroughly investigated.
