The Congress asserted that 12 students have died by suicide due to the stress surrounding the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and urged for significant reforms in the education system. Dr. Manish Doshi, a Congress spokesperson, emphasized the impact of competitive exams on youth and families, expressing concern over the recent suicides related to NEET.
Doshi referenced data from the National Crime Records Bureau, revealing that 63,915 children and adolescents under 18 had died by suicide in India between 2019 and 2024. He highlighted a daily average of 35 to 40 adolescent suicides in the country, with a 16% rise in child suicide cases during the mentioned period.
The Congress representative also disclosed statistics specific to Gujarat, stating that 1,063 children and adolescents had taken their lives in the state over the past four years. He presented a breakdown by year, indicating 151 cases in 2020-21, 161 in 2021-22, 183 in 2023-24, and 568 in 2024-25, underscoring the human impact behind these numbers.
The situation was attributed to ongoing exam pressure, heightened competition, the commercialization of education, and anxiety surrounding academic performance. Doshi criticized the lack of a supportive educational environment by governments and their failure to combat paper leaks effectively. He called for concrete measures to enhance the academic atmosphere and alleviate student burdens.
The Congress demanded policy modifications to reduce academic stress and advocated for actions against coaching centers and paper leak networks. These statements followed the completion of the NEET-UG re-examination by the National Testing Agency, conducted with tightened security measures after initial allegations of a question paper leak.
