This Article is From Jul 02, 2009

Rejected by DU, student commits suicide

New Delhi: Unable to get admission in Delhi University allegedly drove a 17-year-old girl to hang herself at her residence in east Delhi on Tuesday evening.

Prachi Singh Gaur had applied for the BA English course in five DU colleges after her Class XII results were announced. She could not get through any of the two university cut-off lists. Prachi had dreamt of becoming a news anchor and was depressed that her friends got their names in the second cut-off lists on Monday.

Gopal Singh Gaur, Prachi's father, is struggling to come to terms with his daughter's sudden death.

Prachi did not leave behind a suicide note but the family says Prachi was deeply upset with not making it to Delhi University's cut-off list.

Prachi scored 46 per cent in her Class 12 boards but the cut off for the BA pass course in the college she applied to was at least 15 per cent higher.

"She had been very tense when her name did not come in the first two lists. I told her to wait for the third one but when she saw her name did not come in the third list also, she was very upset," said Gopal Singh Gaur, the victim's father.

Prachi's elder sister says she was otherwise a very lively girl who loved to cook. Hours before she committed suicide she had prepared dinner for the whole family.

"She was a very cheerful girl, she wanted to become a journalist," said Sangeeta, the victim's sister.

Over 15,000 students have killed themselves in the last five years. The reasons varying from poor results, exam stress, peer pressure and even for not living up to parental expectations.

As the Human Resource Development ministry considers education reforms to ease pressure on students, Prachi's father has a demand - "I feel there should be more colleges and more seats available, it has happened to Prachi today, it can happen to other girls tomorrow," he says.
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