Satara: An 18-year-old NEET aspirant from Karad taluka in Satara district died after allegedly consuming poison while battling depression following her examination result. The incident comes just days after a 19-year-old medical aspirant from Ahilyanagar allegedly died by suicide after missing the NEET-UG qualifying cutoff, once again drawing attention to the mounting mental health challenges faced by students preparing for competitive examinations.
The deceased has been identified as Samiksha Deepak Pawar (18), a resident of Shenoli Station in Karad taluka. She was undergoing treatment at Krishna Hospital in Karad, where she succumbed on Monday, July 27.
According to police, Samiksha had appeared for the NEET examination last year. After failing to clear the exam, she was reportedly under severe emotional stress and depression. On July 23, she allegedly consumed poisonous rat-killing tablets at her home. However, she did not inform her family about the incident immediately.
Two days later, after the poison began affecting her health and she developed severe abdominal pain, Samiksha disclosed the incident to her family. She was rushed to Krishna Hospital on Sunday, July 26, but despite medical treatment, she passed away the following day.
Police have launched an investigation into the case. Further inquiries are being carried out by Police Constable Sunil Panhale of the Karad City Police Station.
The tragedy comes close on the heels of another similar incident in Maharashtra. Last week, 19-year-old NEET aspirant Ankita Suresh Sangale from Jalalpur village in Ahilyanagar district allegedly died by suicide after failing to secure the qualifying cutoff in the NEET-UG examination. Police said she had left behind a note indicating that she was under immense stress over her result. Ankita had scored 166 marks, falling 11 marks short of the qualifying cutoff for her category.
The two incidents, reported within days of each other, have once again highlighted the immense academic pressure and emotional burden faced by students preparing for highly competitive entrance examinations. Mental health experts have repeatedly stressed the need for stronger counselling support, timely intervention, and open conversations around academic setbacks to help prevent such tragedies.
