This is the sixth student suicide in Kota.
A student preparing for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) in Rajasthan's Kota died by suicide on Friday. Abhishek Kumar, from Bihar's Bhagalpur, was found dead in his rented room in Kota's Vigyan Nagar area, marking the sixth such incident this year in the city known as the coaching hub for engineering and medical aspirants.
According to the police, Abhishek consumed poison and left a suicide note behind. "Sorry papa, I cannot do JEE," the suicide note, addressed to his father, read.
Abhishek had been absent for two exams scheduled at his coaching centre, the first on January 29 and the second on February 19, police said.
Kota registered 26 suicide cases in 2023, sparking concerns and urgent efforts from local authorities to address the mental health challenges faced by students in the high-pressure academic environment prevailing in coaching centres.
Despite the central government's guidelines and efforts by the district administration to provide counseling facilities and alleviate stress among coaching students, the grim reality persists. Last year's toll of 26 student suicides had already raised alarms, and the situation remains dire with half a dozen cases reported within the first three months of this year.
Kota welcomes over two lakh students aspiring for competitive exams like JEE and NEET every year. The struggle for success is often accompanied by challenges that extend beyond academics.
The Kota administration, in collaboration with stakeholders from the coaching industry, last year took a series of initiatives to address the alarming issue of student suicides.
One step involved the installation of "suicide-proofing" fans in hostel rooms. These devices incorporate spring coils, activating a siren if an object weighing more than 20 kg is hung from them. Despite being proposed by the Kota Hostels' Association in 2017, it gained traction only recently when the district administration mandated its implementation in response to a surge in suicides in August last year.
In addition to this, nets have been strategically placed in balconies and lobbies to prevent students from taking drastic steps.