She Dreamed Of Becoming A Doctor: NEET Aspirant's Death Renews Questions Over Exam Stress

A 19-year-old NEET aspirant, Ankita Sangle, died by suicide at her home in Maharashtra's Ahilyanagar after scoring 166 marks in the June 21 re-examination. Her family said she had been under severe stress after irregularities in initial exam disrupted her medical dream. Police registered an accidental death case and launched an investigation.

A 19-year-old medical aspirant from Maharashtra's Ahilyanagar district allegedly died by suicide after facing severe stress over her NEET-UG re-examination results, according to police and her family. The deceased has been identified as Ankita Suresh Sangle, a resident of Jalalpur village in Karjat taluka. Police said she was found hanging at her home on Saturday afternoon when no other family member was present. The Karjat Police have registered an accidental death case and started an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.

Ankita Sangale, a resident of Jalalpur in Karjat, Ahilyanagar, died by suicide yesterday after securing 166 marks in NEET re-exams. The Karjat police have registered a case of suicide and are conducting further investigations: Maharashtra Police

— ANI (@ANI) July 27, 2026

Ankita had hoped to become a doctor

According to her family, Ankita had been preparing for NEET-UG with the aim of becoming a doctor. Her father, Suresh Sangale, said she had worked hard for the medical entrance examination and had performed well in the first test held in May.

However, after allegations of irregularities surrounding the initial examination, a re-examination was held on June 21.

The family said Ankita scored 166 marks in the re-examination. Her father claimed that she missed the cut-off by 11 marks and had been under intense pressure since receiving her result.

Ahilyanagar, Maharashtra: Ankita Sangale, a NEET aspirant, died allegedly by suicide over a low score.

Her father, Suresh Sangale, says, "She committed suicide yesterday afternoon by hanging herself from the ceiling fan at home. She studied diligently for the NEET exam but… pic.twitter.com/3c4HzbcPYu

— ANI (@ANI) July 27, 2026

He said his daughter had become increasingly worried after the controversy surrounding the examination and the uncertainty over her future.

Family links her stress to NEET controversy

Ankita's family has said that the pressure she faced was not only about her marks. They believe the controversy over the NEET examination also added to her anxiety.

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test is one of India's most competitive entrance examinations, with millions of students appearing each year for a limited number of medical seats.

For students who spend years preparing for the test, a result can have a major impact on their education plans. Ankita's family said she had made significant sacrifices while preparing for the examination and was deeply upset after the re-examination result.

A purported suicide note was also recovered from the scene, police said. In the note, Ankita reportedly asked her family not to blame themselves and expressed regret that she could not achieve her dream of becoming a doctor.

The contents of the note are part of the police investigation.

Death comes amid wider NEET controversy

Ankita's death comes amid a wider controversy over the NEET-UG examination and allegations of irregularities.

Following the controversy surrounding the original examination, authorities conducted a re-examination on June 21 for affected candidates.

The issue has also led to protests and demands for accountability from students, parents and campaign groups.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which led protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, had also demanded compensation for families of NEET aspirants who allegedly died by suicide amid the examination controversy.

The Central government has agreed to provide suitable compensation to the families of students who died by suicide, Union Minister JP Nadda said.

Another NEET aspirant's family seeks justice

The latest incident also comes days after the parents of Akanksha Chaturvedi, another NEET aspirant who allegedly died by suicide, renewed their demand for justice and compensation.

Speaking to ANI on July 25, Akanksha's mother, Neelam Chaturvedi, said the family was not satisfied with the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and wanted compensation for their daughter's death.

She also demanded strict action against those responsible for the alleged paper leak and raised questions about the government's handling of the matter.

Akanksha's father, Krishna Kumar Chaturvedi, said his daughter had wanted to become a doctor and serve the country.

The family said they had made financial sacrifices to support her education and wanted justice for her.

Education minister resigns amid NEET row

The developments came on the same day that Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as Union Education Minister following sustained criticism over the handling of the NEET controversy.

Pradhan submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said he was stepping down in the larger interest of students. He said the country's youth should not be left "trapped in a web of confusion".

His resignation was among the developments that followed weeks of protests and public anger over the examination controversy.

The demand for compensation for families of students who allegedly died by suicide was also among the key demands raised during the protests.

Police investigation underway

In Ankita's case, police are continuing to investigate the circumstances that led to her death. The accidental death case has been registered, and the purported suicide note recovered from the house is expected to form part of the investigation.

Her death has once again drawn attention to the enormous pressure faced by students preparing for high-stakes competitive examinations.

For Ankita's family, however, the tragedy is personal. They said a young woman who had spent years working towards becoming a doctor was left struggling after the examination process and its uncertain outcome.

The investigation will establish the circumstances surrounding her death. Meanwhile, her case has added to the growing calls for greater attention to the mental and emotional pressure faced by students caught up in India's highly competitive medical entrance system.

(With ANI inputs)

(Suicide is never a solution. Seek help from mental-health professionals. If you ever experience such thoughts, please call the ‘DISHA’ helpline. Toll-free helpline numbers: 1056, 0471-2552056)