According to the reports, nine students died after the exam results were declared for class 11 and class 12 on Wednesday by the Andhra Pradesh Board of Intermediate Examination. The disturbing report was released following a spate of suicides in prestigious colleges in India. Notably, this year at the various campuses of the Indian Institute of Technology, four students have reportedly died by suicide.The data shared by the officials report that B Tarun, a 17-year-old boy killed himself by jumping in front of the railway track in Srikakulam district. After failing most of the papers, the intermediate first-year student from the districts Dandu Gopalapuram village was said to be discouraged.Another 16-year-old girl was found dead at her home in Trinadhapuram, within the jurisdiction of the Malkapuram police station. Reportedly, the girl committed suicide. She was a native of the region of Visakhapatnam. According to reports, the girl, Akhilasree was disappointed after failing a few subjects in the intermediate first year.Another 18-year-old hanged himself at home in Visakhapatnams Kancharapalem neighbourhood. He had failed a subject in the second year of intermediate.After failing the Andhra Pradesh intermediate test, two 17-year-old students from the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh committed suicide. A kid in the same district passed away after swallowing a pesticide, while a student girl committed suicide by diving into a lake.Another student who was depressed after scoring low in the exams hanged himself to death at his residence in Anakapalli.CJI expressed concernedChief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has also expressed his concern over the instances of alleged suicide by the students. He said that expressed his worry that where the institutions are going wrong that they take their life over some scores.Students suicide rate highest in last 5 years: NCRBAccording to the data shared by the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), 12,526 students died by committing suicide in 2020, while in 2020, the number was 13,089. However, the reasons were not highlighted in the report by NCRB. The report also says that 864 out of 10,732 youngsters under the age of 19 years took their lives due to failure in the examination. The most significant cause of suicide in those under 18 years was family problems were reported.How are IITs taking preventive measures for mental well-beingSeveral Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are taking preventive measures after the suicides of students are reported at IIT. These measures include counselling and mentorship for students with low grades and backlogs, reducing the curriculum load and setting up mental wellness centres.IIT Bombay Director Subhasis Chaudhuri has announced that the institute is working towards changes in their undergraduate curriculum to make it more relevant and motivating to students and to reduce some of the stress. She also said that the committee is working actively to create an inclusive campus where all students feel at home.Notably, the Centre for Holistic Wellness at IIT Guwahati has taken several actions over the years to improve the general wellness of students on campus and close the accessibility gap for mental health care while also reducing the stigma associated with seeking counselling.Before the COVID-19 closure, IIT-Delhi revised its curriculum in response to concerns over the suicides of IIT students to better prepare students for the pressures of studying and prevent suicidal thoughts from developing. The institute is currently revamping its curriculum once more.The IITs recorded 34 suicides between 2014 and 2021, with 18 of the students being from SC and OBC communities, according to data from the Ministry of Education. In a Council meeting in 2010, the ministry requested that all IITs open wellness centres.
