Jaipur: Another teenager has taken his life in Kota, Rajasthan, as the alarming trend of student suicides continues to unfold. Parag, an 18-year-old from Assam, was found dead in his room on January 22, after hanging himself from a ceiling.

Parag had come to Kota to prepare for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), with the crucial exam scheduled for January 27. He was staying in the Mahavir Nagar area, falling under the jurisdiction of the Jawahar Nagar police station. His mother is currently in Kota.

At this point, the reason behind Parag’s tragic decision remains unclear. The body has been sent to the mortuary for further investigation, and authorities are working to determine the cause.

Another suicide on the same day

The suicide of Parag comes on the same day that another tragic death occurred. Afsha Sheikh, a NEET aspirant from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, also took her life by hanging on the morning of January 22. Afsha had been attending coaching classes at a Kota-based institute for six months. She was staying at a paying guest (PG) facility called 'Pratiksha Residency' in Kota.

On the morning of her death, the PG owner discovered Afsha hanging from a rope in her room. The police, along with her family, were immediately informed. The body was sent for postmortem, which will be conducted after the family arrives. The exact reason for Afsha’s suicide has not yet been revealed by officials.

A startling pattern emerges

This tragic series of suicides is not an isolated incident. Since the beginning of the year, six students have ended their lives in Kota, a city that has become a central hub for students aspiring to crack the JEE and NEET exams.

On January 7, Neeraj (19), a student from Mahendragarh, Haryana, was found hanging in his hostel room in Jawahar Nagar. The following day, on January 8, Abhishek (20) from Guna, Madhya Pradesh, who had been preparing for JEE Advanced, also took his life in his Vigyan Nagar hostel.

On January 16, another student, Abhijit Giri (18), a JEE aspirant from Odisha, was found dead by hanging in his Vigyan Nagar accommodation. Two days later, on January 18, a student named Manan, also a JEE aspirant from Indergarh, Bundi district, committed suicide. Manan had been residing with his maternal grandparents in Kota for the past three years.

Rising concerns over mental health pressures

The growing number of suicides among students in Kota has raised serious concerns about the immense pressure faced by students preparing for competitive exams.

Kota, known for its thriving coaching industry, has seen an increasing number of students flocking to the city every year in the hopes of securing a spot in prestigious institutes. However, with this intense competition comes heightened stress, anxiety, and often, tragic consequences.

A police officer expressed alarm at the disturbing trend, noting the toll it takes on the mental health of students. Authorities are continuing to investigate the reasons behind these suicides, while concerns grow about the psychological pressures that students endure in pursuit of academic excellence.

IANS