According to police, a student who was preparing for a competitive exam, committed suicide, in Kota, Rajasthan. This is the second suicide in January, and it highlights how exam stress is becoming a bigger problem for coaching students.

18-year-old Niharika Singh was discovered hanging at her home while preparing for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) in the Borkheda neighborhood of Kota. She was pronounced dead at the hospital despite the family’s quick action and admission. To find out what led up to her tragic decision, the police have launched an investigation that includes a post-mortem examination.

Her examination was scheduled to be held on January 31.

The police have recovered a suicide note which read “Mummy, Papa, I can’t do JEE. So I suicide [sic]. I am loser [sic]. I worst daughter [sic]. Sorry Mummy, Papa. This is the last option I have”.

The police claimed that Niharika was a repeat student in 12th class , living with her banker father and struggling under the pressure of competitive examinations. Even after dedicating seven to eight hours a day to her studies, she was overcome by the obstacles.

Another suicide that happened in Kota this month was of Mohammed Zaid, who was originally from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh. He had had been preparing for the NEET entrance exam.

Kota, known for its coaching institutes for engineering and medical entrance examinations, witnessed 29 student suicides in 2023.