Rajasthan forms panel to look into the student suicides in Kota

The Rajasthan government established a panel made up of educationist experts and stakeholders to conduct a thorough investigation into the incidences after 20 instances of student suicide in Kota, the IIT coaching hotspot, were recorded since January 1 of this year.

The commission has been given a 15-day deadline to provide its findings on the fatalities’ causes. It will discuss the main problems that students face, such as peer or parental pressure on their performance, loneliness, stress, an unwelcoming atmosphere in PG facilities or dormitories, etc.

In a high-level interactive meeting (Samvad) with stakeholders, coaches, and relevant ministries last night, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot established the committee to recommend actions to be done to reduce the number of suicide cases.

The CM urged coaching center owners to provide pupils a stress-free and friendly atmosphere as a top priority during a two-hour conversation.

Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) show that more than 13,000 student suicide incidents were reported nationwide in 2021. Maharashtra led the list of states with the most student suicides with 1,834 instances, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 1,308 cases, Tamil Nadu with 1,246 incidents, Karnataka with 855 cases, and Odisha with 834 cases.

The state administration in Rajasthan, despite the fact that the number was too low (633), compared to other states, is committed to addressing the problem, the chief minister said.

Under the leadership of Bhawani Detha, senior secretary for higher and technical education, a committee has been established to investigate the incidence of student suicide and recommend preventative measures.

In the interactive session, all parties involved expressed their concern for the coaching institute students who must adjust to a new environment away from home and hearth, their living arrangements in PGs, juggling coaching hours and regular studies, performance pressure, and mental stress.

In order to prevent drug addiction, they also spoke about monitoring the students’ moods, giving them access to sports facilities within and outside of coaching facilities, simple exits, and money refund policies.

After Kota, the CM said that areas like Jaipur, Sikar, Jodhpur, and Bikaner are becoming coaching centres. By providing students with access to new jobs, coaching centers are boosting the state’s economy.

“The Anupriti Coaching Scheme of the state government helped more than 30,000 kids. The state administration, however, “lowers its guard when it comes to the issues that the students are facing, particularly their health and safety,” he added.

Gehlot gave his word that the problems will be resolved by efficient coordination and group efforts from the coaching centers, parents, PGs in the hostels, and administration.

In the meanwhile, over 2.50 lakh students were registered with roughly 30 coaching schools (including 12 prominent schools) in Kota alone this season, according to veteran Hadoti journalist Rajeev Saxena, who spoke to The Statesman. Twenty students, including a few females, are claimed to have committed suicide in the previous eight months, most likely as a result of homelessness, family pressure, a challenging academic schedule, and long hours at the institutes, according to Saxena.

Dr. B D Kalla of the Ministry of Education, Ms. Shanti Dhariwal of Urban Development and Housing, Ms. Zahida Khan of the Ministry of State for Education, Ms. Rajendra Singh Yadav of the Ministry of State for Higher Education, Ms. Usha Sharma of the Ministry of Education, Ms. Umesh Mishra of the Ministry of Police, Ms. Dinesh MN of the Ministry of Crime and Justice, Ms. Ravi Surpur