A Madhya Pradesh student died by suicide after alleged error in her NEET score. (Representational)
Bhopal:
A student in Madhya Pradesh died by suicide after an alleged error in her score for the national entrance test for medical colleges, NEET, revealed she got 6 out of 720 when she had actually done quite well in the exam, the police said.
According to the police, the teenager from Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district was left dejected after she checked her NEET score on the website. The victim reportedly saw six digits in front of her name in the list. Disappointed, the girl is said to have taken the extreme step, the police said.
Shocked at how their daughter did not fare well in the exam, parents of the academically driven girl later sent her answer sheet for re-evaluation, the police said, adding that it threw up a significantly higher score – one that could have saved her life.
“Her OMR sheet (answer sheet) for NEET was re-evaluated, and it showed the girl had scored 590 marks,” Inspector Sumer Singh said.
She wanted to become a doctor so she could treat the poor, her parents said.
Annually, many students end their lives because of the alleged pressure to perform in the highly competitive national tests for admission to engineering and medical colleges across the country.
This year, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test or NEET was conducted on September 13 amid the coronavirus pandemic and in the shadow of floods in multiple states. Of the 15.97 lakh candidates who registered, an estimated 88 per cent appeared for the exam.
(If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist.)
Helplines: AASRA: 91-22-27546669 (24 hours)
Sneha Foundation: 91-44-24640050 (24 hours)
Vandrevala Foundation for Mental Health: 1860-2662-345 and 1800-2333-330 (24 hours)
