Four JEE and NEET aspirants have committed suicide in Kota since the new year began 18 days ago. The students — hailing from various parts of the country — took the drastic step while studying for competitive exams in the city famous for its coaching centres. Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar however insited on Saturday that ‘love affairs’ were the leading cause of student suicides in Kota.
The lawmaker contended that some students succumb to the pressures of “love affairs” and urged parents to closely monitor their children’s routines and friendships. He also asked parents to remain attentive and ensure that they did not put unnecessary pressure on their children.
The latest case involves a 16-year-old who reportedly hung himself at his grandparents’ house in the early hours of Saturday. Officials said no suicide note had been recovered from the room. According to the authorities, Class 12 student Manan Jain had been living with his maternal grandparents’ to prepare for the Joint Entrance Examination over the past three years.
The case came less than 48 hours after 18-year-old Abhijeet Giri was found hanging from the ceiling fan in his hostel room. The JEE aspirant from Mayurbhanj district in Odisha had spoken to his elder brother less than a day before his death — and assured that he would return home next month after giving his exam.
There had also been two successive cases in early January — with two JEE aspirants studying in Kota allegedly taking their lives. 20-year-old Abhishek had allegedly hung himself from a ceiling fan in his PG room on January 8. The Madhya Pradesh resident had reportedly been preparing for the exam at a coaching institute since May 2024.
A day earlier — on January 7 — another JEE aspirant from Haryana, Neeraj, hanged himself from the hook of a ceiling fan at his hostel room.
(With inputs from agencies)