Medical Student, 20, Missing for Over a Week in Coaching Hub Kota

Tripti Singh, a 20-year-old NEET aspirant, has been missing for over a week in Kota, known as the coaching capital. This has brought attention to the demanding nature of intensive exam coaching and the pressure placed on students in this Rajasthan city. Originally from Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh, Tripti Singh was reported missing on April 23 after she failed to return following an exam on April 21. She had been staying at a hostel in the Gobriya Bavdi area of the city.

A missing report was filed by the PG owner on April 23, and the police have since been conducting a search, including reviewing CCTV footage from railway and bus stations, as well as sending a search team to UP. Bhupendra Singh, a police official, stated that the student had also visited Vrindavan around Holi. This case comes in the wake of a 19-year-old NEET aspirant’s apparent suicide, marking the seventh such incident by a coaching student in Kota since January. Additionally, in 2023, there were 26 suspected cases of suicide among coaching students in the city.

Kota, a hub for coaching, attracts a large population of nearly two lakh students from across India. Many of these students are living away from home for the first time, making them vulnerable. The challenging environment and the pressure of exam preparations have raised concerns about the mental well-being of students in Kota. The situation highlights the need for mental health support for students undergoing intense exam coaching, particularly those who are far from home and facing considerable academic pressure.