Increasing Cases of Suicides in Educational Hubs

Why in News?

Recently, the National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB’s) ‘Accidental Deaths and Suicide in India’ (ADSI) report was released which shows student suicides has gone up drastically after the Covid-19 pandemic and have been steadily rising in the last five years.

 

So, What is the Current Status of Suicides in Students?

1. 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 suicides being due to "failure in examination".

2. Since 1995, the country lost the highest number of students to suicides in 2021, while nearly 2 lakhs of them have died by suicide in the past 25 years.

3. The death by suicide of students has increased by 32% since 2017, when 9,905 students died by suicide.

4. Maharashtra has the highest number of student suicides in 2021 with 1,834, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

5. The report also showed the percentage of female student suicide at a five-year low of 43.4%, while men student suicides made up 56.5% of the total student suicides.

6. As per Ministry of Education, 122 students from IITs, NITs, central universities and other central institutions died by suicide over 2014-21. 68 of 122 belonged to the scheduled castes (SC), scheduled tribes (ST) or other backward classes (OBC).

7. Suicides are a growing concern in Kota, which is a hub for engineering and medical entrance exams preparation.

8. As of January 2023, 22 students have died in Kota since 2022 and around 121 have died since 2011.

 

Factors that Increase the Suicide Risk among Students are:

1. High Academic Pressure:

A) High expectations from parents, teachers and society can lead to excessive stress and pressure to perform well in exams.

B) This pressure to succeed can be a burden for some students, leading to feelings of failure and hopelessness.

2. Increasing Mental Health Issues: Mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder can contribute to student suicides.

3. Feeling of Isolation and Loneliness:

A) Many students in educational hubs come from far away and live away from their families and friends.

B) This can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness, which can be particularly difficult to deal with in an unfamiliar and competitive environment.

4. Growing Financial Concerns:

A) Financial difficulties, such as not being able to afford tuition fees or living expenses, can create a great deal of stress and worry for students.

B) This can lead to feelings of hopelessness and desperation.

5. Increased Cyber Bullying:

A) Cyber bullying and online harassment are becoming increasingly common and can contribute to student suicides.

B) Cyber bullying can take many forms, such as harassment, cyberstalking, or bullying through social media.

6. Increasing Substance Abuse: Substance abuse and alcohol abuse can contribute to student suicides. Substance abuse can lead to mental health problems, financial difficulties, and legal issues, all of which can be overwhelming for students.

7. Growing Relationship Problems:

A) Relationship problems, such as break-ups, family conflicts, and friendship issues can also contribute to student suicides.

B) These problems can be particularly difficult to deal for students who are far from home and have limited support.

8. Lack of Support:

A) Many students in educational hubs are reluctant to reach out for help when they are struggling. This can be due to stigma surrounding mental health problems or a fear of being judged.

B) This lack of support can lead to feelings of hopelessness and desperation.

 

About the National Suicide Prevention Strategy, 2022

1. Recently, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India has announced the “National Suicide Prevention Strategy”.

2. It is the 1^st of its kind initiative in the country, with time-bound action plans and multi-sectoral collaborations to achieve reduction in suicide related mortality by almost 10% by 2030.

3. This strategy was formed by keeping in mind the World Health Organisation’s ‘South East-Asia Regional Strategy for Suicide Prevention’.

4. The strategy broadly focuses on establishing effective surveillance mechanisms for suicide within the next 3 years.

5. It seeks to establish ‘Psychiatric Outpatient Departments’ that will provide suicide prevention services through the District Mental Health Programme in all districts within the next 5 years.

6. It also aims to integrate a mental well-being curriculum in all educational institutions within the next 8 years.

7. It also aims to develop guidelines for responsible media reporting of suicides, and restricting access to means of suicide.

 

Initiatives taken by India to Reduce Suicides are:

1. Mental Healthcare Act (MHA), 2017: MHA 2017 aims to provide mental healthcare services to the persons suffering with mental illness.

2. KIRAN: 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.

3. Manodarpan Initiative: It’s the initiative of the Ministry of Education under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. It aimed to provide psycho-social support to students, their family members and teachers for their mental health and well-being during the times of Covid-19.

 

Additional Information

About the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)

1. It is headquartered in New Delhi and was set-up in 1986 under the Ministry of Home Affairs to function as a repository of information on crime and criminals so as to assist the investigators in linking crime.

2. It was set up based on the recommendations of the National Police Commission (1977-1981) and the MHA’s Task Force (1985).

3. NCRB brings out the annual comprehensive statistics of crime across the country (‘Crime in India’ report).

4. First time this report was published in 1953 and the report serves as a crucial tool in understanding the law and order situation across the country.

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