Congress on Monday, 22 June claimed that at least 12 students died by suicide amid pressure linked to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), demanding sweeping reforms to India's examination system and urgent action against paper leak networks. The allegations were made at a press conference in Ahmedabad, a day after the National Testing Agency (NTA) concluded the NEET-UG re-examination under heightened security across the country.

What Congress Said

Congress spokesperson Dr Manish Doshi said the deaths underscored what he described as the growing burden of competitive examinations on young people and their families. “Recently, we witnessed around 12 students taking the extreme step due to frustration and despair associated with NEET. This is a matter of concern and pain for all of us. It is not only the loss of a child but also the shattering of a family’s dreams,” Doshi said.

He attributed the crisis to sustained examination pressure, rising competition, the commercialisation of education, and unchecked anxiety over academic performance. He also alleged that successive governments had failed to create a supportive educational environment and had not acted effectively against paper leak syndicates.

NCRB Data and Gujarat Figures

Doshi cited figures from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), claiming that 63,915 children and adolescents below the age of 18 died by suicide across India between 2019 and 2024. According to the data he referenced, between 35 and 40 adolescents die by suicide on average every day in the country, with cases involving minors rising by nearly 16 per cent during the same period.

For Gujarat specifically, Doshi said 1,063 children and adolescents had died by suicide over the past four years. He presented a year-wise breakdown: 151 cases in 2020–21, 161 in 2021–22, 183 in 2023–24, and 568 in 2024–25. “These are not merely statistics. Behind every number is a grieving family, a broken dream and an unfinished future,” he said.

Demands and Political Accountability

The Congress demanded policy changes aimed at reducing academic pressure and called for action against coaching centre operators and paper leak mafias. Doshi questioned who should be held accountable for what he described as “open exploitation” in the name of education, and alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s education model had failed to address the challenges faced by young people.

“Students work day and night, families spend lakhs of rupees on education, and yet the system betrays their trust. The government must take concrete steps to improve the academic environment and reduce the burden on students,” Doshi said.

The NEET Re-Examination Context

The Congress remarks came one day after the NTA concluded the NEET-UG re-examination, held following allegations of a question paper leak in the original test. More than 22 lakh candidates were eligible to appear at over 5,400 examination centres across 551 Indian cities and 14 international locations. The re-test was conducted with biometric verification, CCTV surveillance, AI-assisted monitoring, and extensive police deployment.

The NTA stated that the re-examination was conducted smoothly and that no complaints relating to paper leaks had been received during the re-test. The Congress’s press conference, however, signals that political scrutiny over NEET administration and student welfare is far from over.

What Comes Next

With NEET results and the broader debate over examination reform likely to dominate the coming weeks, pressure is mounting on both the Centre and state governments to address mental health support infrastructure for students and to demonstrate credible action against those responsible for examination irregularities. Calls for an independent review of the NEET framework are expected to grow louder across political and civil society circles.