How India's exam paper leak ended young lives

Key Points:

• Seventeen-year-old Kahaan Patel and at least 20 other students died by suicide following the cancellation and rescheduling of India's National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) due to a leaked exam paper, which forced nearly two million candidates to retake the exam.
• The paper leak sparked widespread protests led by students and the satirical Cockroach Janta Party, culminating in the resignation of India's education minister Dharmendra Pradhan in July.
• Families like Kahaan’s and Pradeep Kumar’s, who invested heavily in their children's medical ambitions, are left grappling with grief and demanding accountability for the examination system failures.
• Kahaan’s father emphasized the importance of listening to young voices before tragedy strikes, highlighting the emotional toll and systemic issues behind the exam leak and its aftermath.
• The government pledged compensation for affected families but faces ongoing pressure to ensure transparency and prevent future examination scandals.