Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has expressed deep concern over the growing number of student suicides in Kota, a hub for coaching centres, saying that 20 students have taken their lives in the last eight months.“It is a matter of concern that 20 students committed suicide in the last eight months in Kota,” he said.Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the state-level Yuva Mahapanchayat in Jaipur, CM Gehlot urged parents to refrain from exerting undue pressure on their children to pursue specific streams or colleges.#WATCH | Jaipur: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot while addressing the inauguration ceremony of state-level Yuva Mahapanchayat says, It is a matter of concern that 20 students committed suicide in last eight months in Kota. I myself wanted to become a doctor in my childhood, used to… pic.twitter.com/ypx9zQSnvo— ANI (@ANI) August 12, 2023CM Gehlot asks parents to support children as Kota suicide rates riseDrawing from his personal experiences, Gehlot recounted his childhood aspirations of becoming a doctor and his late-night study sessions. Reflecting on his own journey, he said, “I myself wanted to become a doctor in my childhood, used to study till 2-3 [AM] 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. I became a minister, worked in the Centre, and was Chief Minister three times.”He stressed the importance of understanding and supporting childrens choices, saying, “Childrens families must also understand that they should not put pressure on their children of choosing a particular stream or going to IIT.”BJP MP shares alarming statistics about IIT, IIM, AIIMS suicidesThe issue of student suicides has gained attention across political lines. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sushil Kumar Modi recently voiced his concern in the Rajya Sabha. He revealed alarming statistics, saying, “In 2021, there have been 10, 732 suicide cases of students below the age of 18 years. It depicted an increase of 4.5% 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.”“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 added.He further requested the Central government to take proactive measures to enhance mental health support within coaching institutes, schools, and universities.
