Fifth student death in 2024: Body of missing Kota IIT aspirant teen found

16-year-old Rachit Sondhiya, who had been missing for nine days, was found in Rajasthan's Chambal valley

Authorities in Rajasthan have confirmed the recovery of the body of a 16-year-old IIT JEE aspirant after an exhaustive week-long search in the Chambal valley. Identified as Rachit Sondhiya, the teenager hails from Madhya Pradesh and is pursuing his studies in Kota, a renowned coaching hub attracting students nationwide, according to a report by NDTV. This is the fifth incident of a student's death in Kota this year.

Sondhiya had been missing since February 11, with the last known footage capturing him entering the forest area near Garadia Mahadev temple. He had left his hostel premises under the pretext of attending an exam.

Sondhiya's parents had circulated posters seeking assistance from the public in locating their son. Despite efforts involving the State Disaster Response Force, employing sniffer dogs and drones, the search had remained fruitless until this discovery nearly nine days later.

Authorities suspect the possibility that Sondhiya might have taken a fatal plunge from the hills into the valley below as his body was found in a remote section of the Chambal valley, inaccessible to most.

Around 200,000 students go to Kota every year, with many navigating life away from home for the first time. Four prior deaths this year were attributed to suicides. Last year, there were 26 deaths by suicide reported in the coaching hub, the highest ever witnessed in the city.

This incident adds to the growing concern over student well-being. The central government has issued guidelines aimed at mitigating the pressures faced by coaching students. Measures have been put in place to ensure the mental health and emotional well-being of students, with directives issued to coaching institutes and district administrations.

Among the newly announced guidelines by the Ministry of Education, coaching centres are prohibited from enrolling students below the age of 16. Furthermore, admission procedures are to be implemented only following the successful completion of secondary school examinations.