A 15-year-old Class 10 student allegedly died by suicide at her home in the Friends Colony area of Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday evening, police said. According to Station House Officer Amit Kumar Mishra, the teenager was alone at the time as her mother and brother had stepped out to the market.
Preliminary enquiries suggest she had been under severe emotional strain following the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 10 mathematics examination held on February 17 and was reportedly anxious about her performance. When the family returned around 7 pm, they found her hanging and alerted authorities.
Police shifted the body for post-mortem and have initiated further investigation. Family members said they had tried to counsel and reassure her in the days following the exam, but she remained deeply distressed.
Teen Reportedly Struggled With Exam Anxiety
According to SHO Amit Kumar Mishra, early statements from the family indicate that the student had been unusually withdrawn and worried after appearing for the CBSE mathematics paper. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) conducts nationwide board examinations each year for Classes 10 and 12, often seen as pivotal milestones in a student’s academic journey. Police officials said there was no immediate evidence of foul play, and the matter is being investigated as an apparent case of suicide.
“When the family returned around 7 pm, they found her hanging. Upon receiving information, a police team reached the spot and shifted the body for post-mortem,” Mishra told reporters. Officers added that the teenager was alone at home when the incident occurred.
Family members reportedly shared that she had expressed fears about underperforming in mathematics, a subject that many students find challenging. Despite repeated efforts by her mother and relatives to comfort her and assure her that results could be managed, she remained upset.
Neighbours in Friends Colony described the family as quiet and said the incident has left the locality in shock. Police have stated that further proceedings will follow the post-mortem report and standard legal protocol.
Recurring Conversations Around Academic Pressure
The tragedy has once again brought attention to the immense academic pressure faced by school students across India, particularly during board examination season. For many families, Class 10 board results are perceived as a decisive turning point that shapes subject choices, higher education streams, and even long-term career prospects. This perception can intensify stress among adolescents who are already navigating emotional and psychological changes.
Mental health professionals have long cautioned that exam-related anxiety can escalate when students internalise fear of failure or feel that their self-worth is tied solely to academic performance. In recent years, conversations around student wellbeing have gained visibility, especially after multiple incidents linked to exam stress across different states. Experts argue that while academic rigour is important, it must be balanced with emotional resilience, open communication and access to counselling services.
Schools affiliated with CBSE and other boards have increasingly been advised to provide pre-exam counselling sessions and helplines during examination periods. However, the effectiveness of such measures often depends on how openly students feel they can express vulnerability.
Social stigma surrounding mental health struggles continues to discourage many young people from seeking help. In smaller towns and semi-urban regions, structured psychological support may also be limited or inaccessible.
Authorities in Etawah have not indicated any additional factors beyond exam-related distress at this stage, and investigations are ongoing. Meanwhile, the incident has prompted discussions among parents and educators locally about recognising early warning signs of severe anxiety, such as withdrawal, persistent sadness, or heightened fear about results.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This deeply saddening incident serves as a stark reminder that academic achievement must never come at the cost of a child’s mental wellbeing. Behind every examination roll number is a young person carrying hopes, insecurities and dreams. When fear of poor marks begins to overshadow a child’s sense of self, it signals a larger societal issue that demands urgent reflection.
As a society, we must collectively move away from defining success in narrow academic terms. Families, schools and policymakers share a responsibility to foster spaces where children feel safe to admit anxiety without judgement. Encouraging conversations about effort rather than outcome, resilience rather than rank, and growth rather than perfection can help reduce the crushing burden many students silently bear.
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