The body of a 17-year-old schoolboy, who was missing since July 3, was found floating in Dhurwa reservoir, 15km from the heart of capital Ranchi, on Sunday morning.

While police are probing possibilities ranging from accidental drowning to suicide and even murder, family members have said that the teenager was depressed for being denied admission in intermediate science at his own school because his above-average matriculation marks didn't make the cut for the perceived elite discipline.

If Satish Pandey indeed had a death wish, this real-life tragedy is reminiscent of the reel story of Joy Lobo - the student character in the widely popular movie 3 Idiots who had hanged himself after his cradle director discouraged his engineering brilliance as mere machine fantasies.

Satish, who cleared his Class X boards from Central School in Tiril with 70 per cent marks this year, was no less gifted, claim friends and family members. He dreamt of becoming an engineer and hence, the jolt of not receiving a science berth might have been severe, believe people who knew him up close.

According to some of his classmates, Satish had expressed his frustration three days before he went missing and said his own school was "spoiling his life and career".

Born to a farmer in Kaimur district of Bihar, Satish had mostly lived with his uncle Rameshwar Pandey, a CRPF havildar posted in Ranchi, and his family for his studies.

"Satish was the only son of my brother. He was barely three years old when I brought him with me. I loved and cared for him as much as my three own children. He was an intelligent boy who wanted to be an engineer. He grew up playing on my lap. Today, I am performing his last rites," Pandey sobbed over phone.

According to the bereaved family, on Friday morning, Satish had gone jogging along Dhurwa dam as usual but did not return till late afternoon.

"Rameshwar Pandey had lodged a missing complaint with us that day. Around 8am today (Sunday), the boy's body was found in the reservoir in Nagri area, 5km from his home," said in-charge of Dhurwa thana Harishchandra Singh. He added that they were investigating the case thoroughly.

Pandey is not sure whether Satish met with an accident or committed suicide, but said his nephew was "quite sad and worried" over his career.

"The school authorities were willing to admit him in arts or commerce stream, but Satish wanted science. I am a poor man. I approached many of my seniors in the force and also pleaded with the school to help my boy, but to no avail," the doting uncle said.

While Satish seemed to have lost all hope, his uncle hadn't. Pandey kept scouting for seats in other schools and had even deposited fees at the Ranchi centre of Chaitanya Educational Institute, which provides coaching for engineering exams, two days before the student went missing.

Today being a Sunday, Central School principal S.R. Minzcould not be contacted for his comments.

Are high cut-offs to blame for student trauma? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com