The Human Cost of High-Stakes Exams: The Tragic Story of Akanksha Chaturvedi

Neelum Chaturvedi holds a picture of her 18-year-old daughter Akanksha, who ended her life in May. This followed the cancellation of the results from a crucial medical exam due to a leak. The decision threw her aspirations into turmoil.

NAGPUR, India — Neelum Chaturvedi cherishes the beautiful English handwriting of her daughter. She shows a note in ornate ballpoint that begins: “Mummy, Pappa.” It is the last message from Akanksha before her death in May. “I saw no fault in her,” her mother says, cradling a photo of Akanksha adorned with artificial flowers.

Akanksha’s suicide is one among many by Indian students reported by local media. These incidents ignited protests, challenging the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Indian Express revealed these tragedies followed the cancellation of a medical college entry exam, taken by 2 million students, after the question paper leak. Students had to retake the test, vying for only 30,000 slots.

Intense Pressure on Students

Akanksha’s message mirrored others left behind by grieving families. “Mummy, papa,” she wrote, “you believed I could become a doctor. But I lack the courage.” Reflecting on repeating the exam, she apologized, “I have ruined everything.” An alarming number of student suicides are linked to these high-pressure exams. The Hindu reported a rise from 8,068 student suicides in 2014 to 14,488 in 2024, with one-fifth stemming from failed exams.

Critics point to the country’s unequal and complex educational system as a root cause. India’s federal budget allocation to education has dwindled to 2.5%, according to The Indian Express. Parents increasingly turn to private education, yet the poorest remain with limited options. Even top academic performers must clear exams for university or prestigious jobs, often requiring tutoring from coaching centers.

The Coaching Center Industry

Maheshwer Peri, a critic of current educational policies, runs a company aiding students in career selection. His analysis indicates 95 out of 100 successful exam candidates attended coaching centers. These centers focus on rapid problem-solving and specific subjects.

Pradip Saha, an educational writer, highlights the industry’s scale: “in the tens of millions” of students enroll, yet precise data is unavailable due to its unregulated nature. With few succeeding, centers feature banners with the top-performing students, masking the industry’s vast profits and associated family debts. Some coaching centers partner with loan companies, raising conflict of interest concerns as desperate parents invest heavily in their children’s education.

Akanksha’s Journey

Akanksha’s parents traced her early aspirations back to their relocation to Nagpur for better schooling. She excelled, aspiring to be a doctor, one of India’s paths to financial stability. The family paid $910 for a two-year Physics Wallah course, taking a loan for the majority. Akanksha’s father’s work as a cook did not cover loan payments, forcing him to sell land and borrow from relatives.

Akanksha was acutely conscious of their financial struggles, reassuring her father and organizing his medical care. Her dedication was unwavering as she prepped for the entrance exam on May 3. “Practice Makes a Woman Perfect” was noted on her wall.

After her exam, she seemed confident. But the cancellation on May 12 devastated her. She became withdrawn, and ultimately, took her life. “My daughter is dead,” her father said. “She killed herself over an exam leak.”

Protests and Political Fallout

Akanksha’s death sparked broader protests, compounded by derogatory remarks from Chief Justice Surya Kant labeling unemployed youth “cockroaches.” Though he claimed misquotation, it sparked national outrage as graduate unemployment reached 67% in 2023. Abhijeet Dipke’s satirical “Cockroach Janata Party” challenged the BJP regime with increasing public support.

Protests intensified with police actions against protestors like educator Sonum Wangchuk. Prime Minister Modi vowed quick justice for the exam leak, yet this did not quell protests. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned, with the government compensating affected families and forming a committee for exam reform. Political analyst Šumit Ganguly expressed doubts over genuine systemic changes, citing bureaucratic self-interest and tax incentives from coaching payments.

Despite promises of compensation, Akanksha’s mother laments, “We are little people, insects. Why would the government come to ask about an insect?” BJP official Yogesh Pachpor claimed attempts to contact the family, while Akanksha’s coaching center vowed support after learning of her death via NPR.

Amid mourning, Neelum Chaturvedi and her family continue facing daily hardships. “We can’t even light a cooking fire,” she says. “I don’t know how we are going to carry on.”