The government has said that it does not keep records of suicide cases among students in all educational institutions and coaching centres across the country, including those preparing for the NEET exam. The clarification came in Minister of State for Education Subhas Sarkar’s response in Parliament to questions from Members of Parliament DTR Paarivendhar and Ravneet Singh Bittu, who enquired about the statistics on NEET student suicides and the adoption of standard protocols to avoid such cases.

Sarkar explained the rationale behind the lack of such records by pointing out that education falls under the concurrent list, with the Central and State Governments sharing responsibility for regulating educational institutions. Because the majority of educational institutions in the country are run by state governments, the documentation of suicides among students is not standardised.

Sarkar did, however, refer to the report of 2021 by the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) on Accidental Deaths & Suicide in India (ADSI), which suggests that suicides among students may be caused by a variety of factors, including professional/career issues, feelings of isolation, abuse, violence, family problems, and mental disorders.

Addressing the issue of preventive measures, Sarkar cited the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which requires the establishment of counselling systems in all educational institutions to assist students in properly managing stress. He also emphasised the policy’s emphasis on promoting student engagement in sports, eco-clubs, cultural/art groups, activity clubs, and community service initiatives, which he believes would build a more holistic and balanced environment for students.

The minister said that the government has implemented a number of efforts to help students deal with academic stress, such as peer-assisted learning and the introduction of technical education in regional languages. He also discussed the MANODARPAN initiative, a comprehensive effort to provide psychological assistance to students, teachers and families during and after the COVID outbreak.

He disclosed that higher education institutes (HEIs) have been directed to conduct workshops and seminars on happiness and wellbeing, as well as regular yoga sessions, introduction programmes and a variety of extracurricular activities like sports and cultural events.

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