As protests end, rise in student suicides and increasing cost burden await focus
Following the end of protests regarding NEET paper leaks, focus has shifted to the broader systemic issues of student mental health and the high cost of competitive education in India. Data shows a significant rise in student suicides over the last decade, prompting calls for structural reform beyond immediate political accountability.
Why it matters
The piece underscores a critical public health and education crisis in India, highlighting the human cost of high-stakes testing and the need for policy intervention.
The sustained protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) demanding accountability over paper leaks in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) came to an end on Saturday with the government accepting many of their demands, including the resignation of Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan, compensation for the families of the deceased who ended their lives over the NEET paper leaks, and the withdrawal of criminal cases against protesters.
Thousands of protesters who gathered across many places in the country despite crackdown by the government, including brutal police action in Delhi on July 20, have termed Mr. Pradhan’s resignation a ‘historic win’. While their demands have successfully pinned accountability for a leaked question paper, larger questions around high-stakes entrance exams — the NEET in particular — such as the proliferation of coaching centres, increased expenditure for families, and high levels of stress experienced by students, remain unaddressed.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in