Jaipur, July 14 -- A 20-year-old student preparing for the National Entrance Eligibility Test -Undergraduate, or NEET-UG, for admission to medical courses was found dead on Saturday night in Sikar district, police said, suspecting it to be the first case of suicide in Sikar this year and the 18th such incidents across the state. Of the 18 incidents, 16 were reported in Kota district and one in Jodhpur. Rohitansh Kumar, sub inspector of Udhyog Nagar police station, the student, originally from Balotra district, took admission at a coaching centre in Sikar three days ago. "He had been staying in a hostel in the district's Udhyog Nagar area. According to his friends, he had attended classes at the coaching centre only on Friday," he said. The incident came to light at 9pm when "his friends knocked on his door several times and he did not open. Later, his hostel staff broke open the door and found him dead", Kumar said. "He hung himself from the ceiling fan of his hostel room. No suicide note was recovered. The body has been sent for an autopsy and his family has also been informed. Further probe is underway," he said. Kumar also said that the officials are probing why an anti-hanging device was not installed in the accommodation. Amid a surge in suicide cases in Kota and Sikar, where students from all over the country arrive in huge numbers after completing Class 10 to prepare for various competitive exams - including JEE and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) or NEET-UG for admission to medical courses -, the state government in September 2023 issued several guidelines for hostels and paying guest (PG) accommodations, including installation of spring-loaded fans in rooms "to provide students mental support and security". Sikar is considered to be the second largest coaching hub in Rajasthan after Kota, as per officials. Two NEET students died in the city last year while another one in 2023. Students from around the country arrive in Kota in huge numbers after completing Class X, and register in residential test-prep institutes. They also enrol in schools, most of which are largely for purposes of certification. Students attend classes only in the test-prep institutes, which prepare them for their Class XII examination, but more importantly, entrance examinations such as NEET and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE). Some students find the grind stressful, especially because they are away from their families. Amid a surge in suicide cases in Kota, where students from all over the country arrive in huge numbers after completing Class X to prepare for various competitive exams, the Kota district administration in August 2023 issued several guidelines for hostels and paying guest (PG) accommodations, including installation of spring-loaded fans in rooms "to provide students mental support and security". The incident comes on the heels of the state government introducing a legislation to regulate coaching centres amid growing concerns over a surge in student suicides, particularly in Kota. In March, the bill titled Rajasthan Coaching Centres (Control and Regulation) Bill, 2025 was tabled in the state assembly. The state assembly later sent the bill to a select committee for further consideration....