Ahmedabad: A 17-year-old NEET aspirant died after allegedly falling from the sixth floor of a residential apartment in Ahmedabad’s New Ranip area, just three days before the nationwide NEET-UG retest scheduled for June 21.
According to Sabarmati Police, the student, who was preparing for the medical entrance examination, fell from the balcony area of a flat in Aristo Anandam Apartments.
Police said they received information about the incident around 4.30 a.m. on Thursday and immediately reached the spot to begin an investigation.
An accidental death case has been registered under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, pending further inquiry. The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, while officials are examining all possible angles to determine the exact cause of death.
Sabarmati Police Inspector Yuvrajsinh Vaghela said the incident took place during the night.
“The incident occurred around 2–3 a.m. We received the information around 4.30 a.m. No suicide note has been recovered as of now. The cause cannot be ascertained at present, including whether the student was under stress. Investigation is going on,” he told IANS.
Police added that they are reviewing the circumstances surrounding the incident and speaking with the family, friends, and others known to the student. No official conclusion has been reached regarding the cause of death.
The incident comes days ahead of the rescheduled National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate), one of India’s largest competitive examinations for admission to medical courses.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) had announced the retest after cancelling the original NEET-UG 2026 examination conducted on May 3, following allegations of a paper leak and other irregularities.
The re-examination was approved by the Central government after concerns were raised over the integrity of the examination process. More than 22 lakh candidates were affected by the cancellation, causing widespread uncertainty among students and parents across the country.
The NTA has said additional security measures have been introduced for the retest, while the Supreme Court has been informed that strengthened safeguards are in place to protect the integrity of the examination.
In recent days, preparations for the June 21 examination have been intensified. The Indian Air Force has assisted in transporting question papers to multiple locations across the country. The NTA has also launched training programmes for examination staff and issued advisories warning students against misinformation and fake paper leak claims circulating online.
Police have clarified that no link has been established between the student’s death and the examination, and the investigation is continuing.
With IANS inputs