Kota Girl Suicide: Why deaths are increasing and the road ahead
Raipur/Navpradesh/Sourabh Dhote
Suicide Note
Recently, a news came from Kota, Rajasthan that an eighteen year old girl has committed suicide by hanging herself from a ventilation window. Its being said that she was under stress from studies. A suicide note was found which read – “Mummy – Papa I can’t do JEE, so I suicide, I am looser. Sorry mummy papa. This is the last option.”
Statistics
In an exam like JEE, around 10 lakh candidates appear every year. And the no of seats in various IITs, NITs, IIITs and GFTIs amount to roughly about 50,000. This shows that only 5% of those giving JEE every year have a chance of studying in these elite institutions.
In Kota, the coaching hub of our nation, 15 students committed suicide in 2022 and 29 students in 2023. Since everyone does not have the courage to take suicide to its conclusion, we can assume that many more than these students would have contemplated negative thoughts one time or the other.
Why did the “Gateway to Good Life” become the “Gateway to Death” ?
Reasons of Suicide in Kota
They say charity begins at home. Similarly too pressure begins at home. Parents and relatives seeing other’s progress start comparing their kids to them ignoring the fact that everyone has unique talents and abilities. Parents should give complete support to their kids on their aspirations regardless of the views of the society.
Another thing is that the students and their parents are trapped by coaching institutions into believing that they can ensure the child’s selection with their training. But its not true. Unless an student has good aptitude for maths and analytical thinking, its difficult to succeed in these examinations.
Our society has defined certain frameworks for success at every age. One is expected to perform well in student age to have a good life ahead. But why does the pressure of having good life in future makes the present life happening now so miserable. Miserable enough, that some even decide to end their lives.
Opinion on Suicide in Kota
So the question is – are all those who can’t succeed in JEE losers and should commit suicide. Our honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was once a tea seller and rose from humble beginnings to become the most powerful man in the country. Is there any need to ask Shri Narendra Modi his JEE score?
Fortunately, Rajasthan Government has looked into the issue and formed a 15 member committee to avoid such cases of suicide. The guidelines include
- Screening Test before admitting students
- Easy exit and Refund Policy
- Deciding the batches alphabetically instead of students’ rank
- Appointing of professional psychiatrists and counsellors and providing regular counselling.
All these measures gives hope that things will be better in Kota in the days to come and students will not be under undue pressure to study.
