The case of Increasing Student Suicides in India

The case of Increasing Student Suicides in India

News: Recently, the death of 23 students in Kota in 2023 so far, has brought our attention to the under looked crisis of student suicide in India.

Key Findings from Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI) report by NCRB:
• More than 13,000 students commit suicide in India at the rate of more than 35 students per day which comes down to 1 suicide every 42 mins.
• The death by suicide of students has increased by 32.15% since 2017.
• 1% of the total suicides in the country are of students below the age of 18 years due to ‘failure in examinations’

Why are students committing suicides in India? What are the reasons?

Social Factors
• Social pressure to get into government jobs or highly paid private jobs to escape the social, caste and class division.
• Undue permission that students take onto them who resort to suicides under the fear of societal pressure “Log kya kahenge’” when you end up failing.

Economic reasons
• Education seen as a livelihood opportunity rather than knowledge perspective. Student’s see admission in IIT’s and medical colleges as gateway of financial freedom. When they fail to realize their dreams, they take the wrong step.

Family issues
• There has been a breakdown of the traditional large family support system which have also contributed to increase in suicide tendencies.

Relationship issues
• Failure to overcome relationship issues such as family conflict, breakups and friendship struggles.

Academic stress
• The pressure to succeed in academics (expectation from family, teachers) becomes overwhelming for some students leading to feelings of failure and hopelessness.

Lack of support from educational institutions
• No career counseling, lack of mental and moral support, fewer trained individuals for guidance and support.

Political factors
• Students from marginalized communities face their own issues while studying such as failure to pay fees, caste discrimination, unable to adjust with changing social circumstances in city life etc.

What needs to be done to reduce student suicides?
• Provision of cheap study loans, reduction of cost of education with GDP allocation to education sector (6% of GDP as per NEP).
• Provide students with access to mental healthcare services within institutions.
• Revamp exam-centric education system in India.
• The ‘Happiness Curriculum’ launched by the Delhi government focuses on holistic education by including meditation, value education and mental exercises in conventional education curriculum. Other states can adopt the same.
• Protecting children from cyber bullying.
• Encouraging students to participate in outdoor activities. Sports can be an important medium here.
• Increase employment opportunities so that students do not feel demotivated on passing out from institutes and not avail jobs.
• Have open discussions with students pertaining to mental health crisis and suicides.

What initiatives have been taken by GOI to reduce student suicides?
• Mental Healthcare Act (MHA) 2017-It aims to provide mental healthcare services for persons with mental illness.
• KIRAN helpline -The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched a 24/7 toll-free helpline “KIRAN” to provide support to people facing anxiety, stress, depression, suicidal thoughts and other mental health concerns.
• Manodarpan Initiative- An initiative of the Ministry of Education under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. It is aimed to provide psychosocial support to students, family members and teachers for their mental health and well-being during the times of Covid-19.
• National Suicide Prevention Strategy (2023)-It is the first of its kind in the country, with time-bound action plans and multi-sectoral collaborations to achieve reduction in suicide mortality by 10% by 2030.