Student suicides jumped 80% in ten years; over 2,000 die by suicide every year due to exam failures

Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke speaks while holding a photo of 23-year-old NEET aspirant Ria, who allegedly died by suicide in Dehradun, during a hunger strike demanding action over alleged irregularities in examinations and seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 05, 2026.

| Photo Credit: SHASHI SHEKHAR KASHYAP

With the protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party and different student groups demanding Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over NEET paper leaks and student suicides capturing the nation’s attention, data paints a stark picture. The numbers emphasise the need to take the pressures faced by Indian students seriously.More than a dozen students died by suicide in the weeks following the cancellation. This triggered activist Sonam Wangchuk’s fast and student protests in Delhi, demanding accountability. The protests reflected the anger over repeated cases of paper leaks and other systemic failures affecting students. Published - July 24, 2026 08:00 am IST