An 18-year-old girl died by suicide in Rajasthan’s Kota in the early hours of Monday, leaving behind a note that said she was taking the extreme step as a last resort because she “can’t do JEE”.
Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kota, Dharamveer Singh said the teenager, Niharika Solanki, was living with her parents and preparing for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), scheduled for January 31.
A purported note left behind by her reads, “Mummy papa, I can’t do JEE so I (commit) suicide. I am a loser. Worst daughter. Sorry mummy papa. Yahi last option he (This is the last option).”
According to the police, her father works as a security guard at a bank, and she was the eldest of three daughters. The incident took place under Borkhera police station limits in Kota, infamous for the large number of suicides by those preparing for competitive exams.
Her cousin Vikram Singh, who lives nearby, told The Indian Express that at the time of the incident, her father was at work. “She, one of her sisters, their mother and grandmother were at home,” he said.
Vikram’s brother, Hemant, said that sometime between 9-10 am, “Her mother called out for her, but she didn’t respond.” When her sister went to check on her, the door was locked from the inside.
The family feared the worst on seeing a cloth on the other side of the roshandaan window (transom window), above the door.
Eventually, other family members and neighbours gathered outside her door. “We broke a glass on the roshandaan above the door… and broke the door open,” said her cousin.
He said the teenager had scored 70 per cent marks in the RBSE Board but needed 75 per cent to be eligible for JEE, so she was studying for Class 12 exam again.
As per the National Testing Agency, candidates who qualify for admission in the NITs, IIITs and other CFTIs whose admissions are based on the JEE Main ranks should have secured at least 75 per cent marks in Class 12 exams or be in the top 20 percentile in the Class 12 exams conducted by the respective boards.
“She used to spend most of her time – about 8-9 hours daily – studying, which included about six hours of coaching. Just last night, we played badminton,” Hemant said.
The DSP said the body was handed over to the family after post-mortem.
This is the second death by suicide in Kota this year. Last week, a resident of Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, allegedly killed himself. Like Niharika, he too was preparing for JEE. Last year, about 30 students died by suicide in the city.
Just three days ago, Kota District Collector Dr Ravindra Goswami had launched a new initiative, ‘Kamyab Kota’, where he, as the District Collector, will have a weekly dinner every Friday with coaching students at their hostels in the city. The aim behind this weekly dinner is to sit and discuss any issues the JEE and NEET aspirants may be facing.
The initiative was launched as a part of the Kota district administration’s effort to tackle student suicides. At the launch on Republic Day this Friday, Goswami dined with girl students at their hostel, spending about two hours. Last year, following a spike in cases, an 11-member special cell had been created in June to help students. Over the years, several initiatives have been taken to curb student suicides, but the sporadic efforts have failed to resolve the issue.
Aisha Patel is a dedicated Indian correspondent with a deep understanding of the nation’s diverse affairs. With a background in Indian culture, politics, and current events, she provides in-depth analysis and timely reporting on domestic issues within India.
