Col Shiv Choudhary
Academic excellence remains a top priority for one and all in India. The unrealistic expectations from students don’t end with obtaining degrees but at securing top positions in all competitive examinations. This relentless pursuit of exceptional performance places an enormous pressure on students leading to intense stress, anxiety, depression and mental health issues. This is leading to an alarming rise in suicides by students in India. Understanding this serious issue is a very complex phenomenon. The role of parents, schools and society is central in addressing and preventing it.
The available NCRB’s ADSI report reveals that over 13,000 students died in 2021 in India at the rate of more than 35 every day, a rise of 4.5% from the 12,526 deaths in 2020 with 864 out of 10,732 suicides being due to “failure in examination”. The report also says that student suicides have gone up drastically during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 and have been steadily rising in the last five years.
Nearly 2 lakh of students have died by suicide in the past 25 years. The death by suicide of students has increased by 32.15% since 2017, when 9,905 students died by suicide. Women student suicide was at a five-year low of 43.49%, while men student suicides made up 56.51% of the total student suicides. In 2017, 4,711 women students died by suicide, while in 2021 such deaths increased to 5,693.
It is noteworthy to state that 122 students from IITs, NITs and other central institutions died by suicide over 2014-21. This included 68 students belonging to SC,ST or OBC. Suicides are a growing concern specifically in Kota, a hub for coaching institutions. As of January 2023, 22 students had died in Kota since 2022 and around 121 had died since 2011.
Looking at the frightening data and few recent cases of suicide, it demands immediate actions by all concerned to ebb this sad trend. There appears to be multiple causes for suicides by students needing multiprong solutions. Indeed, causes and remedies could be both complex and cumbersome.
Challenges:
High expectations of parents, students, schools and society can lead to excessive pressure to perform well in examinations. Eying for the top institutions like IITs, IIMs and few others only adds to the vulnerability. The students are always competing against their peers. The constant comparison can lead to a toxic environment and severe emotional distress. This pressure to succeed can be overwhelming for some students, leading to feelings of failure and hopelessness.
Long absence from home and local friends is difficult for some students in a charged competitive environment. Relationship problems, such as break-ups, family conflicts, absence of communication and friendship issues also contribute to students suicides. These problems can be particularly difficult to deal with for students who are far from home with virtually no support.
Good education is very costly today, and everyone cannot afford it. The tuition, living expenses and higher professional education are financially very crippling for some parents. Related finances, changing life styles, varying expectations and reflective behaviour are mentally very taxing for some parents and students. Its non-affordability can create a great deal of stress, inferiority complex and worry for students. This can lead to feelings of frustration and desperation.
Many students struggle silently due to stress, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and the stigma surrounding mental health. The absence of support system exasperates feelings of isolation. Students are naïve and reluctant to reach out for help when struggling due to fear of being judged. Educational institutions in India often lack proper counselling services and trained therapists, leaving students without a place to turn for help. This can lead to the feelings of loneliness and confusion.
Use and abuse of prohibited substances, drugs and alcohol is a very common site in and around all educational institutions. Such happenings can be overwhelming for students. Indeed, the suppliers and sellers always target stressed groups. This can lead to mental health problem, financial pressure, and at times legal issues contributing to the suicides.
Cyber bullying and online harassment are becoming increasingly common and can be instrumental to student suicides. Cyber bullying can be in the form of harassment, cyberstalking, or bullying through social media. These are silent methods of driving certain students and peers to feel pent up and cause enormous mental stress. Most educational institutions don’t have related safe guards and policies.
Remedies:
The ever rising number of student suicides in India is an alarming issue that demands a multi-faceted approach involving educational institutions, government, parents, and society. Indeed, the scenario prevailing and the causes enumerated are chilling. It is very crucial to understand the need of striking a realistic balance between expectations and capacity, realities and tragedy. Parents should understand that every child cannot be a top doctor, engineer or in the best career. They should encourage their children to pursue their interests and passions, and not impose their own career choices.
Educational institutions must not treat a suicide case as an aberration and wash its hands off. There is a strong case for all educational institutions to establish well-equipped counselling centres with trained professionals to provide safe space to discuss their concerns and seek help. This can reduce the risk of suicides. Training teachers in health care and mental health cure through workshops, health clinics, meditation and yoga, would be the right steps.
We need to look at taking a systematic and holistic approach to personality development, satisfaction and happiness, rather than focussing only on securing higher marks. Academic results are not connected with career performance. Parents should create an open support environment and communication where their children feel comfortable in adding to self-esteem and confidence. Educational institutions can create a supportive and inclusive environment that helps students thrive both academically and emotionally.
It is important to revisit existing syllabus, school’s academic policies, examination pattern and practices to reduce academic pressure. An approach that emphasizes skill development, rather than rote learning, can alleviate some of the stress. Parents can assist their children in setting achievable goals, which helps build their confidence and resilience, personal growth and well-being.
People should look beyond medicines, engineering and few much propagated professions and institutions. The Government should explore options for keeping education related expenditure low. The focus should be on quality with economy. Control and transparency in financial management by private educational institutions, and strict punishment for irrational charges is must. Association of parents in the financial management of schools is the need.
Parents and schools need to be vigilant about recognizing signs of distress, changes in behaviour, mood swings, withdrawal symptoms, academic decline, or expressions of hopelessness. They should take these signs seriously and seek professional help. Early identification of signs is crucial for intervention. Schools should have a crisis intervention plan to promptly deal with a suicide threat or incident.
Implementing substance abuse awareness and prevention programs is the need of the day. This can help reduce the risk of student suicides. Focus should be on accepting and preventing, and not hiding. This may include educating students about the dangers of substance abuse, providing support for those struggling with addiction, and reducing access.
Social media is unavoidable but its use can be restricted. Media outlets should responsibly report on suicides, rather than sensationalizing such tragic events. Students should be taught media feed literacy skills to know the truth. Online activities of children’s needs monitoring to ensure they are not exposed to harmful contents or cyberbullying. Implementing stricter cyber bullying policies and cracking down on online harassment must be on the radar.
Schools and colleges should encourage the formation of peer support groups or club focussed on sharing experience, views on mental health and wellbeing where students can provide emotional support to one another. These groups can provide a safe space for students to support each other.
The rising number of student suicides in India is an alarming issue needing a quick effort. Availability of a supportive environment for students can help towards preventing student suicides and ensuring a brighter and healthier future. Schools and parents can play a significant role in addressing the problem by creating a supportive environment. It’s essential for parents to prioritize their children’s mental health and well-being alongside their academic success. Life is much more than seeing academic toppers, images on collards placed outside the school gates.
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