A 19-year-old NEET aspirant, Sheikh Sana, allegedly died by suicide at her residence in Miyapur, Hyderabad on 20 June, just one day before she was scheduled to appear for the NEET (UG) re-examination on 21 June, police officials confirmed. She is reported to be the first NEET aspirant from Telangana to have died by suicide in the wave of student deaths that followed the controversy surrounding the national medical entrance test.

What Happened

According to police under the Miyapur Police Station limits, Sana was found hanging in her room by her two younger sisters on the evening of Saturday, 20 June. She had gone into her room after breakfast, and her sisters assumed she was studying for the next day's exam. When she did not emerge by evening, they opened the door and found her unresponsive. Police were called immediately and her body was shifted to Gandhi Hospital for a post-mortem examination. A case has been registered.

Sana reportedly left a note in English stating that no one is responsible for her death. Police said the note was recovered from the scene.

Background and Family Circumstances

Sana had been preparing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and was residing with her two younger sisters — currently in Classes 10 and 6 — in an apartment in Hyderabad. Her father, Sheikh Jafar Hussain, is reportedly employed in Kuwait, while her mother had travelled to Proddatur in Andhra Pradesh approximately 10 days before the incident. An aunt lives in an adjacent apartment; police said the younger sisters are now in her care.

Preliminary police investigation revealed that Sana had appeared for the NEET examination the previous year but was unable to clear it. She subsequently enrolled in long-term coaching and appeared again in the test held last month — the very exam that was later mired in controversy.

Suspected Triggers

Officials said that academic pressure, family expectations, and anxiety over past setbacks are suspected to have contributed to her decision, though investigations are ongoing. These factors are frequently cited in student suicide cases linked to high-stakes competitive examinations in India, and no definitive cause has been established by authorities.

Wider Context: NEET Crisis and Student Deaths

Sana's death comes amid a broader national crisis surrounding the NEET (UG) examination. The test, originally held on 3 May, was cancelled following widespread allegations of a question paper leak, triggering student protests and legal challenges across the country. The controversy prompted authorities to schedule a re-examination, which was set for 21 June.

India has witnessed a spate of suicides by NEET aspirants since the original exam's cancellation. Sana is reportedly the first such fatality from Telangana. This is part of a disturbing pattern: competitive examination pressure — particularly around NEET and JEE — has been linked to student mental health crises for several years, with experts and student advocates repeatedly calling for systemic reform in how high-stakes tests are conducted and communicated.

What Comes Next

Police have registered a case and are conducting further investigation. The post-mortem examination at Gandhi Hospital is expected to provide additional findings. Sana's younger sisters remain under the care of their aunt as the family, including her father abroad and mother in Andhra Pradesh, comes to terms with the tragedy. Calls for better mental health support infrastructure for competitive exam aspirants are likely to intensify in the wake of this and similar incidents.

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