Patna: A senior opposition leader in Bihar has criticised the state government after the reported suicide of a 10th-grade student who was allegedly denied entry to her board examination for arriving late.
The incident occurred as secondary school board exams, which began on February 17, continue across the state. Authorities have implemented strict rules requiring candidates to reach examination centres on time, with reports that even those arriving a few minutes late have been refused entry.
According to local reports, Komal Kumari, a student from the Masaurhi area of Patna district, was barred from sitting her first paper after reaching the centre a couple of minutes after the scheduled time. She later died after jumping in front of a train. Police are understood to be investigating the circumstances surrounding her death.
The leader of the opposition in the Bihar assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, who also serves as working president of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, blamed the state’s ruling coalition for what he described as an inhumane approach to students.
बिहार की बेटियों का काल बनी नीतीश-भाजपा सरकार।
पटना जिले के मसौढ़ी थाना क्षेत्र की कोमल कुमारी दसवीं की छात्रा थी। माँ बाप की उम्मीद और सुनहरे भविष्य की आशा।
10वीं कक्षा की पहली परीक्षा थी। जाम और अव्यवस्था के चलते परीक्षा केंद्र पहुँचने में कुछ मिनटों की देरी हो गई और उसे…— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) February 20, 2026
In a post on social media, Yadav alleged that the government led by chief minister Nitish Kumar, in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party, had “closed all doors” for the student by denying her entry. He argued that strict enforcement without flexibility had devastating consequences and said images and videos circulating online showed other students in tears outside examination centres.
“As Biharis, we are saddened and distressed,” Yadav wrote, calling for urgent changes to the rules. He demanded immediate financial compensation for the student’s family and urged the government to allow candidates delayed by traffic or other unavoidable circumstances to sit their exams.
The state government has not yet issued a detailed public response to the allegations. Officials have previously defended tight security and punctuality norms in board examinations as necessary to prevent malpractice and ensure fairness.
