Nikhil Santosh was in the second PU in Delhi Public School. He allegedly committed suicide as he could not meet his parents' expectations.
On Thursday, he returned home at 3 pm after the classes. He stopped his mother, who was going out, and asked to be dropped to his tuitions. His mother asked him to finish his lunch and said she would be waiting for him in the parking lot.
But by the time she reached the car park, Nikhil climbed out of the window of a bathroom and jumped.
Later, a death note was found in the house. The note read like a ‘sorry’ letter.
“I am sorry Pappa and Mummy. I am not a good son. You have taken very good care of me and have made me study well. But I couldn’t reach your expectations. You wanted to send me to the US for further studies. But I couldn’t get the needed marks to realise it. This has hurt you, and I am also feeling the same. Please forgive me. I couldn’t be a good son to you, Pappa and Mummy.
Yours, Nikhil Santhosh"
Every year, when the annual results are declared across India, there is a spike in suicides among teenage students, who face extremely high expectations from both parents and educational institutions, which place a massive emphasis on marks.
Though every year a general outcry occurs at every death, little has been done to lower the burden on students.
Reform, if it ever comes, will come too late for Nikhil.
