'When will accountability be fixed?': Priyanka Gandhi reacts to UP student's suicide over NEET-UG cancellation

LUCKNOW: Congress MP, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on Friday expressed grief over the alleged suicide of a NEET aspirant in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district, claiming that recurring irregularities and corruption in competitive examinations resulting in cancellations, were pushing students into severe distress.

Calling the incident “extremely heartbreaking”, Priyanka Gandhi said the death of 22-year-old Ritik Mishra had once again exposed the emotional and psychological burden being faced by lakhs of aspirants and their families, across the country.

“My deepest condolences to Ritik’s grief-stricken parents and family,” she said in a post on X.

According to the family, Ritik had appeared for the NEET-UG examination in Kanpur on May 3 and had returned home optimistic about his performance. However, after the examination was cancelled following allegations of a paper leak, he allegedly fell into deep mental stress and anxiety.

“According to the aggrieved family, Ritik 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,” Priyanka Gandhi said.

She further asked, “When will this chain of events stop? When will accountability be fixed?”

Ritik Mishra allegedly died by suicide on Thursday at his residence in Lakhimpur Kheri. Local authorities are probing the circumstances surrounding the incident.