The administration’s novel plan to reduce the number of suicides in Rajasthan’s entrance test coaching hotspot Kota is being criticised on social media by individuals who argue that the focus should be on mental wellness rather than converting fans. , spring-loaded fans are being placed in all Kota hostels and paying guest (PG) rooms to lower the number of student suicides.
2o suicides this year
Kota has seen 20 student suicide deaths so far this year. In the most recent occurrence, a student, age 18, was discovered hanged on Tuesday night at a leased residence in the city.
This is the fourth student suicide in Kota this month that has been reported. Three other coaching students passed away earlier this month, including two IIT-JEE candidates and one NEET-UG aspirant.
Concerns about the district’s increasing rate of student suicides have been voiced by the Kota administration. The district administration had sought the psychiatric evaluation of pupils in Kota and the provision of essential counseling to them in accordance with the directions imposed by the high court over the mounting death toll.
#WATCH | Spring-loaded fans installed in all hostels and paying guest (PG) accommodations of Kota to decrease suicide cases among students, (17.08) https://t.co/laxcU1LHeW pic.twitter.com/J16ccd4X0S
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) August 18, 2023
Mental health taking a toll
Kota is the hub of India’s fiercely competitive test-prep sector, drawing over 225,000 students who are geared up for admission tests. Many students from all around the nation travel to Kota in an effort to get into prestigious engineering or medical colleges. The number of suicide cases in the city has alarmingly increased this year, most involving students getting ready for the JEE or NEET exams.
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These terrible events are caused by a variety of factors, including academic, physical, and psychological stresses. Significant contributing factors include the stress of studying, a fear of failing, and fierce competition in the coaching field. According to a poll conducted by the mental health start-up Lissun, 4 out of 10 students in Kota are dealing with depression.
The Rajasthan High Court has requested suggestions on how to prevent suicides by students at the state’s coaching facilities, particularly in Kota, in response to an increase in suicide cases. The court has emphasised the need to concentrate on children’s psychological counselling, and it is thinking about introducing the Rajasthan Coaching Institute (Control and Regulation) Bill 2023.
