Tragedy Strikes: 20-year-old medical aspirant from Bihar attempts self-immolation due to study pressure in Kota

A 20-year-old Bihar resident, Mayank Kumar, set himself on fire in his Kota, Rajasthan paying guest room due to study pressure, according to police reports on January 19.  The incident occurred on the afternoon of January 18, when Kumar set himself on fire in his paying guest room in the Talwandi neighbourhood under the Jawahar Nagar police station. The individual was under study pressure as reported by the police.

The individual, a medical aspirant from west Champaran in Bihar, had independently prepared for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in Kota for the last two months. The individual had reportedly taken the extreme step of self-immolation after his father repeatedly urged him to focus on his studies, as per a PTI report.

Mayank was rushed to the hospital by the PG caretaker with 60% burn injuries on the upper half of his body and face, according to Dr Neeraj Devanda from the MBS hospital's burn section. The doctor added that on January 19 morning, he was referred to a higher medical health centre for further treatment. The caretaker informed Mayank's father about the incident, and his father drove him to Bihar for additional medical attention, said the police.

Mayank's father, Sanjay Kumar told PTI, "I was at Kota Railway station to board a train for Bihar when the caretaker called and informed me about the accident." Mayank had come to Kota to pursue studies, but did not enrol in any coaching institutes and was doing self-studies. Sanjay stated that during a conversation with his son on Wednesday morning, he asked him to focus on his studies and goal. The father said that everything seemed normal and they even had lunch together.

Kota is a hub for thousands of students preparing for engineering and medical entrance examinations. In 2022 alone, at least 15 student suicides were recorded. Experts say that every year, thousands of students come to Kota with aspirations of getting into prestigious colleges, but many struggle with hectic routines, peer pressure and the weight of expectations, as per the PTI report.