A new report shows that suicide rates among students in India are rising at an alarming rate, far outpacing both population growth and the overall suicide rate. The report, titled ‘Student Suicides: An Epidemic Sweeping India’, was released on Wednesday during the annual IC3 Conference and Expo 2024.
The report, based on data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), shows that while the suicide rate in India as a whole is increasing at two percent annually, the suicide rate among students is increasing at four percent. The report also suggests that these figures may be underreported, pointing to a potentially even more serious problem.
The IC3 Institute, a volunteer-run organization, supports high schools around the world by providing counseling and training resources and helping to build and maintain strong career and academic advising departments for administrators, teachers and counselors.
The suicide rate among students has consistently outpaced both population growth and the overall suicide rate. While the population of 0-24 year olds declined from 582 million to 581 million over the last decade, the number of suicides among students rose sharply from 6,654 to 13,044,” the report said.
One in seven young people aged 15-24 in India suffer from mental health problems, including depression and disengagement. Shockingly, only 41% of respondents felt the need to seek help for mental health problems.” UNICEF report, The State of the World’s Children.
Last year, the IC3 Institute released the first report on student suicides. It found that over 13,000 students commit suicide in India every year. This worrying trend continues. In response, the IC3 Institute set up a task force dedicated to providing strategic leadership on student mental health.
1. In 2022, 13,044 suicides were reported among students, compared to 13,089 in 2021, representing an insignificant decrease compared to the previous year.
2. In comparison, the total number of suicides (of students and others) increased by 4.2 percent, from 164,033 in 2021 to 170,924 in 2022.
3. Over the past 10 to 20 years, the total number of suicides has increased by an average of 2 percent annually, and the suicide rate among college students has increased by 4 percent – twice the total number of suicides.
4. The suicide rate among students is 7.6 percent of all suicides. This is comparable to the suicide rate in many other occupational groups, for example among employees, farmers, the unemployed and the self-employed.
5. Gender-wise, the suicide rate among male students is higher than that among female students. Over the past 10 years, the suicide rate among male students has increased by 50 percent, while the suicide rate among female students has increased by 61 percent. For both male and female students, the suicide rate has increased by an average of 5 percent annually over the past five years.
STUDENT SUICIDE RATE: WHICH INDIAN STATES HAVE THE HIGHEST STUDENT SUICIDE RATE?
The three states with the highest student suicide rate remain Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh. These three states account for one-third of the student suicide rate in the country.
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Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, is now among the five states with the highest suicide rates among school students, possibly indicating improved reporting processes.
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In Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand, student suicide rates have increased by 14 percent and 15 percent respectively year-on-year.
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Rajasthan, with its notorious Kota tuition school, ranks tenth with 571 student suicides.
The number of student suicides continues to exceed both population growth rates and overall suicide trends. While the population of 0-24 year olds declined from 582 million to 581 million over the past decade, the number of student suicides increased from 6,654 to 13,044.
SUICIDE RATES AMONG MALE STUDENTS ARE DECLINING WHILE SUICIDE RATES AMONG FEMALE STUDENTS ARE INCREASING YEAR-ON-YEAR
In 2022, 53% of all student suicides were male. From 2021 to 2022, suicides among male students decreased by 6%, while those among female students increased by 7%. Over the past decade, suicides among male students increased by 99% and suicides among female students increased by 92%. It is important to note that accurate data collection, recording, and reporting is needed for transgender students, as their circumstances are not well represented in current data.
While we may not have all the answers, we know enough to act. We must advocate for and protect the mental health of every student. Achieving this requires a relentless commitment, coupled with adequate resources, open communication to break down taboos and barriers, and proactive measures to reduce risk factors and strengthen protective factors in key areas of students’ lives, particularly in the family and school environment.
Commenting on the findings, Ganesh Kohli, founder of the IC3 movement, said: “The report reminds us of the urgency with which we need to address the mental health issues in our educational institutions. Our educational focus must shift to building the competencies of our learners in a way that makes them more comfortable overall, rather than pushing them to compete against each other. We need to build a systematic, comprehensive and robust career and academic counselling system in every institution, while integrating it seamlessly into the curriculum. With this year’s IC3 Annual Conference, we aim to spark action and drive systemic change in the way we approach student development through counselling and career guidance.”
THE SUICIDE RATE AMONG STUDENTS IS SIMILAR TO THAT IN MANY OTHER PROFESSIONS
In 2022, student suicides accounted for 7.6% of all suicides, compared to 5.6% in the previous eight years. This represents a significant increase in the proportion of student suicides.
Over the past year, the Task Force launched initiatives including an annual mental health survey, student-directed school plays to raise awareness and reduce stigma through student empowerment, and targeted education and training programs for educators to promote student well-being.