Rajasthan CM Gehlot calls meeting this evening to address rising suicide cases among students in Kota

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India]: Expressing concern over increasing cases of suicides by students in Kota, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said that a meeting with the managements of coaching institutes has been called this evening at his residence for discussions.

“Chief Minister will hold a meeting with coaching operators and other stakeholders at 6.30 pm on the increasing suicide cases among coaching students,” officials said in a statement.

As many as 20 students have died by suicide in the last eight months in Rajasthan’s Kota.

“Around 18-19 students have died by suicide in Kota and therefore it was important to understand the student’s problems. Coaching management heads have been called for a meeting and a discussion on what needs to be done will be held…,” CM Gehlot told reporters earlier in the day.

Earlier this month, while speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the state-level ‘Yuva Mahapanchayat’ in Jaipur the Chief Minister had said that in the last eight months, 20 students have died by suicide which is a matter of concern for us and urged parents not to put pressure on their children for a particular stream or a college.

“It is a matter of concern that 20 students committed suicide in the last eight months in Kota. I myself wanted to become a doctor in my childhood, used to study till 2-3 in the night, but did not succeed. However, I did not lose courage. I changed my path, became a social worker, entered politics and today I am in front of you,” he had said.

Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Sushil Kumar Modi had on August 8 expressed concern over increasing cases of suicides among students.

“In 2021, there have been 10, 732 suicide cases of students below the age of 18 years. It depicted an increase of 4.5 per cent from the previous year. In the last five years, 75 students have committed suicide at IIT, IIM, AIIMS, and other top premier institutions.

These cases have been increasing at a concerning rate,” Sushil Modi told the Upper House.

“In Kota this year, police have reported more than 15 suicides. The high number of suicides reflects the severe mental and physical stress the students go through to secure college admissions in premier universities.

The students face severe academic stress and develop mental health issues because of the intensive competition in the medical and engineering examinations,” he had added.

Meanwhile, spring-loaded fans have been installed in hostels and PG accommodations to curb suicide cases among students in Rajasthan’s coaching hub.