Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the suicide of a NEET aspirant in Uttar Pradesh was a “murder by the system” and questioned how many more such deaths would be required before the government is held accountable.
Ritik Mishra, 21, from Lakhimpur Kheri allegedly hanged himself on Thursday, his family said, adding that he was distressed over the cancellation of the NEET-UG examination due to paper leak allegations. They also said the student was confident of clearing the exam in his third attempt.
In a post on X in Hindi, Gandhi vowed to fight against exam-related corruption and said he stood with students, adding that those “stealing their future” would be held accountable.
“‘No more competitive exams now’. These were the last words of 21-year-old Ritik Mishra from Lakhimpur Kheri. This child, appearing for NEET for the third time, broke down the moment the exam was cancelled,” Gandhi said.
He added, “In Goa too, a NEET aspirant took his own life. These children didn't lose to the exams , they were killed by a corrupt system. This isn't suicide, it's murder by the system.”
“Modi ji — how many Ritiks will it take to awaken your accountability?” he asked, addressing Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Assuring support to students, he said, “My young friends, your pain is my pain. Your hard work is my hard work. Those who steal your future will have to answer. No matter how long it takes, no one will be spared, this is my promise. We will fight this battle together, and we will win.”
Citing data on examination irregularities, Gandhi said, “From 2015 to 2026, 148 paper scams happened and 87 exams were cancelled and the futures of nine crore children were affected.”
“Out of 148 scams, only 1 resulted in punishment. CBI took up 17 cases, ED took 11 — no one was punished. In just NEET, AIPMT, and other medical exams — 15 scams,” he said.
“And the most shameful part: In these scams, not a single officer or minister responsible resigned. They’re removed — and then quietly reinstated to higher positions. Those who orchestrate the theft get rewarded, while the children taking the exams lose their lives,” Gandhi added.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also termed the incident heartbreaking and expressed condolences to the bereaved family.
She said that, according to the family, Mishra was under severe mental stress due to the cancellation of the NEET exam.
“The rampant corruption in examinations is claiming the lives of our youth. Every year, the futures of lakhs of students are being ruined. When will this chain of events stop? When will accountability be fixed,” she asked.
Mishra’s father, Anoop Mishra, said his son had returned home to the city from the village on Wednesday and appeared visibly distressed over the exam cancellation. He added that it was his third attempt at NEET and that the student had been confident of success.
(With PTI inputs)
