The report pointed out that although the overall number of suicides increased by 2% each year, student suicide cases surged by 4%.
The report 'Student Suicide: An epidemic sweeping India' was launched on Wednesday at the IC3 Annual Conference and Expo 2024, according to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
Student suicides in India are growing at an alarming rate every year, outpacing population growth and overall suicide trends, a new report shows.
The report 'Student Suicide: An epidemic sweeping India' was launched on Wednesday at the IC3 Annual Conference and Expo 2024, according to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
The report pointed out that while the overall number of suicides increased by 2% each year, student suicide cases surged by 4%, although student suicide cases may be “underreported.” “Over the past 20 years, the student suicide rate has grown at an alarming 4% per year, twice the national average. In 2022, male students accounted for 53% (%) of the total number of student suicides. A report compiled by the IC3 Institute states , between 2021 and 2022, the suicide rate among male students dropped by 6%, while the suicide rate among female students increased by 7%.
“Student suicide rates continue to exceed population growth rates and overall suicide trends. In the past decade, although the population aged 0-24 fell from 582 million to 581 million, the number of student suicides increased from 6,654 to 13,044.
The IC3 Institute is a volunteer-based organization that supports high schools and helps build and sustain strong career and college counseling departments by providing mentoring and training resources to high school administrators, teachers, and counselors around the world.
Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh were identified as states with the highest number of student suicides, accounting for a combined one-third of the national total, the report said.
The southern states and union territories together accounted for 29% of these cases, while Rajasthan, known for its high-stakes academic environment, ranked 10th, underscoring the intense pressure faced by training centers such as Kota.
“The data compiled by the NCRB is based on First Information Reports (FIRs) recorded by the police. However, it is important to acknowledge that the actual number of student suicides may be underestimated. This under-reporting can be attributed to a number of factors, including those surrounding The social stigma of suicide and Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code criminalizes attempted and assisted suicide.
Although the Mental Health Care Act 2017 decriminalized suicide attempts by people with mental illness, the legacy of criminalization continues to impact reporting practices, the report said.
“Additionally, due to the lack of robust data collection systems, there are significant differences in data, particularly in rural areas, where reporting is less consistent than in urban areas,” the report said.
Ganesh Kohli, founder of the IC3 movement, said the report reminds us of the urgent need to address mental health challenges within our learning institutions.
“Our educational focus must shift towards building the capabilities of learners to support their overall well-being, rather than pitting them against each other.
“We must establish a systematic, comprehensive and robust career and university counseling system within each institution while integrating it seamlessly into the course of study,” he said.
In addition, the report also pointed out that the student suicide rate has increased sharply in the past decade, with the male suicide rate increasing by 50% and the female suicide rate increasing by 61%.
“Over the past five years, there has been an average annual growth of 5% for both sexes. These alarming statistics highlight the urgent need to strengthen counseling infrastructure and gain a deeper understanding of students' aspirations.
“Addressing these gaps is critical to shifting the focus from competitive pressures to building core competencies and well-being to more effectively support students and prevent tragedies like this from happening,” the report said. PTI GJS GJS TIR TIR
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(This report has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from associated news agency – PTI)
