Odisha: Student takes her life amid exam pressure

Bhubaneswar: A young woman preparing for medical entrance exams was found dead in her hostel room in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, after reportedly struggling with severe academic pressure.

The student, identified as Kalyani Sahoo from Salipur in the Cuttack district, was pursuing a Plus II science course while preparing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) at a private coaching center in Patia.

Kalyani was discovered hanging from the ceiling fan in her hostel room under circumstances her family describes as distressing and unexplained. While the exact cause of her death has not been confirmed, her family alleges that intense academic expectations from the coaching institute led Kalyani to experience considerable emotional distress. According to them, she had expressed feelings of depression stemming from what she described as “extreme mental pressure” tied to her coaching.

Upon learning of the incident, Chandrasekharpur police arrived on the scene, registered a case, and sent Kalyani’s body for autopsy. Authorities have launched a thorough investigation, with officials probing whether she may have left behind any notes or other clues explaining her actions.

While no statements had yet been made by the coaching centre or hostel management, the local police had started investigation into the case to explore allegations that Kalyani had been subjected to harassment by other students, which she reportedly disclosed to her family.

The deceased’s family claimed that despite her grievances, neither the coaching center nor the hostel administration intervened to address her concerns.

This tragedy comes only two months after a similar incident involving another student from Jharkhand, sparking further concern over the pressures faced by students enrolled in competitive coaching programmes.