Opposition Leaders Blame Modi Government for NEET Aspirant's Death

The death of Akanksha Chaturvedi, an 18-year-old NEET-UG aspirant, has sparked a political crisis over systemic examination irregularities in India. Chaturvedi, a resident of Mauganj, Madhya Pradesh, died in Nagpur on May 20. She left a note expressing a lack of courage to retake the exam after the National Testing Agency cancelled the May 3 test on May 12 following reports of paper leaks.

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, alleging that Chaturvedi's death was the tragic outcome of a corrupt and broken system. Gandhi claimed that an entire generation of Indian youth is paying the price for a ruined education system over the last 12 years. Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal joined the criticism, demanding the eradication of an education mafia that has captured the government.

Additional backlash came from the Trinamool Congress and its leader Mamata Banerjee, who accused the central government of betraying the youth and turning merit into a gamble. Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation is probing the leaks and has already made several arrests. A re-examination of the NEET-UG is scheduled for June 21.