10th Grader Dies After Setting Herself Ablaze An Hour Before Exam Results Were Announced, Scores 70%

A 10th grader at a private residential school allegedly killed herself just an hour before the results of the annual High School Certificate (HSC) examinations were announced in the Ganjam district of India’s Odisha, police said.

The 15-year-old girl set herself ablaze by dousing kerosene at her home in Digapahandi, on Wednesday, July 6, authorities said.

The teen was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead.

"We suspect that she might have committed self-immolation over fears that she would be unsuccessful in the examination," a police officer told NDTV.

The teen, however, cleared the test with a B-1 grade and secured 421 out of 600 marks in the board examinations, according to reports.

"We know that stress at school has a big impact on mental health, and this research suggests that it can be a significant factor when young people feel suicidal. Although the causes of suicide are multiple and complex, worries around exams can add to the pressure on those who are already struggling to cope," said Sarah Brennan, the chief executive of Young Minds, the UK’s leading charity fighting for children and young people's mental health, The Guardian reported.

In a similar incident, an 18-year-old boy allegedly killed himself after being consumed by fear of failing a medical entrance examination in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India on June 29.

The teen, identified only as P Dhanush, reportedly aspired to become a doctor and had previously taken the NEET (National Eligibility Entrance Test) exam in 2021. NEET is the qualifying entrance examination to gain admission to programs in Indian medical and dental colleges.

According to Dhanush's father Prathap, his son was under a lot of stress recently as he was not proficient in English and feared that it might affect his performance in the tests. Upset over his fear of failure, Dhanush reportedly took his own life while he was alone at home.

Dhanush was discovered hanging from the ceiling of their house when his mother returned home after work.