Another tragic incident came to light on Wednesday in Kota, Rajasthan, where Parag, a student from Nagaon, Assam, committed suicide. His body was found at his house in Mahavir Nagar area. This incident is the second suicide in Kota on the same day and the sixth this month. Incidents of student suicide in Kota, which is the country’s main center for preparation for IIT-JEE and medical competitive exams, are becoming a matter of concern.
Increasing number of student suicides
A few hours before this, the body of Afsha Sheikh of Ahmedabad, Gujarat was found hanging from the fan in her hostel room in Jawahar Nagar area. She came to Kota to prepare for NEET exam. Police have ordered post-mortem in both the cases and the families of the victims have been informed.
Four other student suicides have been reported so far in January:
- 7th January: 19-year-old Neeraj committed suicide while preparing for JEE entrance exam.
- 8th January: Dead body of 20-year-old Abhishek, who was preparing for JEE, was found.
- 16 January: 18-year-old Abhijeet, who wanted to become a doctor, committed suicide.
- 17 January: 18-year-old Manan Sharma committed suicide four days before the JEE exam.
17 students committed suicide in Kota in 2022, while the figure rose to 23 in 2023, which is 38% more than the previous year.
What are the reasons behind suicide?
Study pressure, competitive stress and mental health issues are considered to be the main reasons for suicide among students in ‘coaching hubs’ like Kota.
Recently, Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar also cited love affairs as a reason for suicides. He appealed to the parents not to pressurize their children for career options contrary to their interests.
Role of government and society
Due to the increasing suicides of students, questions are being raised on the Kota administration and the state government. Although opposition parties are criticizing the government’s policies on this issue, the need to take effective steps is felt.
The society and the government will have to work together to solve this problem, so that the mental health of the students can be taken care of and the pressure of the coaching industry can be reduced.
