On June 8, a tragic incident brought into the focus the immense pressure that students are placed under, to perform exceptionally well in their exams. Chaitali Jambhulkar, a 16-year-old student of a renowned school in Sadar and a resident of Hassan Garage in Mohan Nagar, allegedly consumed insecticide due to lower than expected percentage obtained in the recently declared SSC board exams. Chaitali took the extreme step the day the 10^th boards results were announced.

While police information states that she had consumed petrol, sources reveal that she had actually consumed insecticide.

Chaitali’s father Kiran Jambhulkar, who is into decoration business, was called by his wife and informed that his daughter had consumed poison. Rushing back home, he took her to a private hospital, which then recommended that she be taken to Mayo Hospital. She was in a coma when admitted and had to be placed on a ventilator. However, she lost the battle for life and passed away four days later (on June 12).

A day before the results, Chaitali had reportedly told her mother to prepare for her funeral because her results were to be declared the next day. Her mother asked her why was she speaking like that, to which the girl replied that she just felt that way. On the day of her results she told her father who had come home for his lunch that she had scored a low percentage. Her father allegedly said, “Go away from my sight; I had sent you for tuitions so that you do well, still you didn’t,” after which he went back to his business.

Sources reveal that young girl had suicidal tendencies and would slash her wrists whenever admonished by her father. Her hands were scarred with marks of such attempts in the past.

A bright and bubbly student, she was expected to score around 65-70% but was rather shocked to read her relatively low score of 47.5% that led her to take the drastic step.

Also read: With 99.2%, Tejswini Vidya Mandirs Maitreyee Ghanote tops from Nagpur in 10th board exams