In the 46 days between the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 over a paper leak scandal and the scheduled re-test on June 21, at least 11 NEET aspirants across India have reportedly died by suicide, according to police records, family accounts and media reports.
Actor Zeeshan Ayyub talked about the student suicide in the last few weeks in an Instagram video. He addressed students in particular and said, “NEET ke chakkar mein kai baccho ne suicide kiya, woh jyada disturbing cheez hai. Main students se bolna chahunga ki himmat mat haro. Nothing is end of the world. Kuch khatam nahi ho jayega. Zindagi mein bohot kuch hain. Uske khilaaf bolna, uske liye bolna, apne rights ke liye khade hona… woh zyada zaruri hain
(Because of NEET, so many students have died by suicide and that is disturbing. I want to tell the students not to lose faith. It is not the end. There is more to life. To speak up, to demand your rights and so on, that is more important).
The actor urged students that if they are feeling low then they should definitely take counselling and that's completely okay. “Main samajh bhi paa raha hoon iss takleef ko lekin phir bhi ek saathi hone ke naate main ye bolunga jyadda pareshaan na ho. Counselling se na darey, please logon se iske baare mein baat karein. Dosto khayal rakhieyen
(I can understand the situation and the pain but I want to say that please do not worry too much. Do not feel scared of seeking counselling. Speak up about it to people. Take care of youselves).
