New Delhi: After a gap of two years, there has been a sharp rise in the number of suicides among students in premier educational institutions like IITs, NITs, and IIMs in the year 2022, according to a written reply in the Rajya Sabha by the Union Minister of State for Education Subhas Sarkar. The Minister revealed that the number of suicides in these institutions in 2022 was the same as the number in 2019, with 16 students in total. Of these, eight were from IITs, seven were from NITs, and one was from an IIM.
The data presented in the Lower House shows that there were only five suicides in 2020 and seven in 2021. The irregular classes during the Covid pandemic might have contributed to this decrease in numbers, as students had more time to spend at home. Nevertheless, the increase in the number of suicides in these premier institutions is a cause for concern, and Sarkar cited academic stress, family issues, personal reasons, and mental health issues as the primary reasons for this.
To address the issue, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has provisions for counselling systems to handle stress and emotional adjustments in institutions. The NEP also includes provisions for opportunities for student participation in sports, culture/arts clubs, eco-clubs, activity clubs, community service projects, etc. In line with the NEP, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has begun work on translating technical books into 12 scheduled regional languages to eliminate language barriers and improve understanding and teaching-learning outcomes.
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The University Grants Commission (UGC) has circulated the National Suicide Prevention Strategy formulated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to address the issue. The Ministry has also taken several steps to reduce academic stress, including peer-assisted learning, introducing technical education in regional languages, and the MANODARPAN initiative, which provides psychological support to students, teachers, and families for mental and emotional well-being during the Covid pandemic and beyond.
The premier educational institutions have also taken various steps to address this issue, such as conducting workshops/seminars on happiness and wellness, regular yoga sessions, induction programs, and extracurricular activities, assigning one faculty advisor per 10 students, and appointing student counsellors for overall personality development and distressing students. Students, wardens, and caretakers are also sensitized to the signs of depression in their fellow students and encouraged to report these signs to the authorities for timely clinical consultation.
In conclusion, the increase in the number of suicides in premier educational institutions is a cause for concern, and the government and educational institutions must take proactive steps to address this issue. The NEP 2020 provides a framework for counselling and stress reduction, and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has developed a National Suicide Prevention Strategy. Premier educational institutions have also taken various steps to address this issue, including providing counselling and psychological support to students, conducting wellness workshops, and appointing student counsellors.
