16-year-old NEET aspirant dies by suicide in Kota, 25th case this year

Mangalore Today News Network

Kota, Sep 13, 2023: A 16-year-old student, who was preparing for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) died by suicide by hanging herself in Rajasthan’s Kota.

Twenty-five students have died by suicide in Kota, a coaching hub in Rajasthan, in just eight months this year.

 

A resident of Ranchi, the student was currently residing at Blaze Hostel in the city. She hanged herself and the body has been kept in the mortuary.

KOTA STUDENT SUICIDE CASES

Around two lakh students flock to Kota annually, hoping to qualify for competitive exams like the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) and the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

This year, authorities reported 25 student suicides related to the pressure of competitive exams in the district, the highest number in any year.

According to Rajasthan police data, the figure was 15 in 2022, 18 in 2019, 20 in 2018, seven in 2017, 17 in 2016, and 18 in 2015. No student suicide was reported in Kota in 2020 and 2021 for the coaching institutes were shut due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In response to a spate of suicides in Kota, the district administration had earlier issued an order mandating the installation of spring-loaded fans in all hostel rooms and paying guest accommodations.

The order, issued by Kota district collector Om Prakash Bunkar, aimed to "provide mental support and security to the students studying and living in these accommodations, and to prevent suicides from increasing coaching students."

Meanwhile, the Rajasthan High Court asked for recommendations on averting suicides by students in coaching institutes of the state, particularly in Kota.

The court also emphasized the necessity of focusing on the psychological counseling of children and is considering the introduction of the Rajasthan Coaching Institute (Control and Regulation) Bill 2023 specifically tailored for coaching institutes.

Courtesy: India Today