Ranit Kr. Singh , Jaipur - A 17-year-old student from Uttar Pradesh was found hanging in his hostel room on Thursday in Rajasthan’s coaching hub, Kota. The deceased had been living in the city for the past two years to prepare for engineering entrance examinations. Local police shifted the body to a hospital for a post-mortem examination, which will be conducted once the family arrives. No suicide note was recovered from the premises, and investigations are underway to ascertain the exact cause of death.

The incident adds to a troubling trend in Kota, a test preparation hub estimated to be worth ₹10,000 crore annually where students nationwide enroll in residential institutes after Class X. According to police data, student suicides numbered 15 in 2022, 18 in 2019, 20 in 2018, seven in 2017, 17 in 2016, and 18 in 2015, with a continuous series reported since coaching centers transitioned back from pandemic-era online modes. In response to rising student stress, the Union education ministry issued guidelines in January 2024 restricting coaching enrollments to students above age 16 and introducing a ₹1,00,000 penalty for institutional violations.

Local police officer Jawaharlal stated that investigators are currently gathering information from the student’s friends and acquaintances to understand the circumstances leading to the incident. Authorities also confirmed that the exact reason behind the death is yet to be determined, noting that further details will depend on the upcoming post-mortem analysis and the ongoing inquiry.