An 18-year-old medical aspirant has died by suicide in Karnataka's Kalaburagi district, weeks after appearing for the NEET-UG 2026 entrance examination.
The student, identified as Bhagyashree, had been a high-achieving academic — scoring 92% in her Pre-University Course examinations — and had appeared for the NEET exam on May 3, as per reports.
Her death has drawn fresh attention to the mounting distress among medical aspirants following the National Testing Agency's decision to cancel the NEET-UG 2026 examination earlier this month.
According to police, Bhagyashree allegedly died by suicide by hanging at her apartment. Officers visited the scene and conducted an inspection. No suicide note has been recovered, and further investigation remains underway, NDTV reported.
ALSO READ: CUET-UG 2026: NTA Postpones Exam Scheduled For May 28, To Announce New Date
The cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 exam — which affected more than 22 lakh aspirants across the country — came after serious allegations of irregularities and a paper leak.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan subsequently announced that the re-examination will be held on June 21. He also announced that beginning next year, NEET will shift to a computer-based format in a bid to prevent future instances of paper leaks and malpractice.
ALSO READ: CBSE Again Extends Deadline For Scanned Answer Book Requests Till May 25
On May 16, a medical aspirant allegedly died by suicide in Rajasthan. The student's family said he had performed well in the exam and was expecting around 650 marks this time but became distressed after the test was cancelled.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.