The tragic toll of competitive exams

The suicide of an 18-year-old student the day after results were declared for India's hyper-competitive National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) has shone a spotlight on the mental toll this annual test takes on those who sit for it.

The woman's death was the 11th suicide linked to preparation for entrance examinations this year. In 2023, 26 aspirants at India's ‘cram schools' died by suicide.