Maharashtra NEET aspirant dies by suicide; family cites depression after exam cancellation

An 18-year-old medical aspirant from Maharashtra’s Hingoli district died by suicide on Wednesday, his family said. They claimed he had been struggling with depression after the cancellation of the original NEET-UG examination he appeared for on May 3, amid a nationwide paper-leak controversy.

Police are now investigating whether there is any link between the incident and the national-level medical entrance test, based on the parents’ claims.

The student, Sushil Dhage, a resident of Ashtavinayak Nagar in Hingoli city, allegedly jumped into a well on Wednesday evening. Before taking the extreme step, he recorded a brief video message on his mobile phone addressed to his mother.

In the video, Sushil is seen apologising to his mother for ending his life. He further asks her not to stress about him and to live well with his elder brother Sumedh, who cleared the NEET-UG last year and is currently studying BAMS at Government Medical College in Washim.

The investigating officer, S G Ambhore, said, “The deceased’s kin have said that he was under depression after the NEET-UG paper held earlier was cancelled. He did not appear for the recently held re-exam.”

A hand-written note asking the family to check the gallery on his phone was found under his mobile phone kept outside the well, barely 200 metres from his home, where Sushil allegedly jumped to end his life. “The family has no complaint against anyone in this regard, as a result an accidental death report is filed and we are investigating further to verify any link between his death and the national-level entrance test,” said Ambhore.

Sushil came from a family surviving on the modest earnings of his mother, who works as a helper in a local hospital. His father Vilas Dhage, who worked as an office assistant and ran errands at local offices, died of a heart attack in December 2025.

Gagan Bhat, a neighbour and close friend of Sushil’s father, said, “The family has faced immense hardships. Both Sumedh and Sushil were sincere students who wanted to build a better life for themselves. They prepared for NEET through online resources because enrolling in a coaching institute was simply unaffordable for the family. Sumedh secured admission to BAMS in a government medical college last year, after his second attempt at NEET-UG. The exam held on May 3, 2026, was Sushil’s second attempt. And he had high hopes of securing a medical seat, just as his brother had. But things changed after the examination was cancelled following the paper-leak controversy.”

Bhat said that he too began noticing a change in Sushil’s behaviour after the May 3 exam was cancelled. “Someone who would play some sport every day suddenly started staying at home mostly. He looked visibly sad and disappointed. That is why when re-examination was announced, we did not insist that he appear for it after he said that he did not want to. In fact we spoke about alternative career options. We never imagined he would take such a drastic step,” said Bhat.

The NEET-UG examination, held annually for admission to undergraduate medical courses, was cancelled this year following allegations of a large-scale paper leak. The re-examination was conducted in July, but Sushil opted not to appear. The incident raises questions about the mental health pressures faced by students in high-stakes competitive exams.