Radical mindset change a must to stop suicides
It is always painful to read reports of suicide, let alone that of students as young as 16 or below. If we can spare a thought, the untimely death of one means the shattered lives of their family and friends who will carry a lifelong emotional wound that can only be concealed or healed to an extent but never really forgotten. Two students recently took the extreme step in Telangana, shaking the collective conscience of the society.
One of them, Dr Preethi, who had a promising life ahead, ended her life, unable to bear harassment by a senior at her medical college. The other, a boy aged just 16, felt there was no escape from the torture at his college. Yes, these cases are yet to be proven in a court of law to bring those responsible to justice. Prima facie, however, the reasons for the deaths are obvious. The government and police have initiated measures to curb ragging and are debating the culture at the so-called corporate colleges. It is not that we don’t have laws, rules and helplines in place to address the issue. Yet, why is it that student suicides have become a regular phenomenon across the country—from even schools to institutes of higher learning? If we take NCRB data, of all the accidental deaths and suicides in the country, students account for around 8%. And we should note that this is not even an accurate picture.
What could we possibly do to stem the tide? Referring to the suicide of a Dalit student at IIT Bombay, Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud decried discrimination against marginalised communities and hit the nail on the head when he observed that it is directly linked to the lack of empathy in educational institutions. We cannot agree more. Whether it is Darshan Solanki at IIT Bombay, Dr Preethi at the Kakatiya Medical
College, or the 16-year-old college student, the utter lack of sympathy and empathy led to their suicides.
The blame is equally on the institutions, faculty, regulators and, ultimately, our society. A solution to this silent pandemic lies in a holistic approach aimed at bringing about a cultural shift in the way we look at education. Any such change must begin from the ground up, from parents and teachers. Governments have
the responsibility to enforce the law, launch a massive public awareness campaign and act against unbridled commercialisation and discrimination. Until this happens, we will continue to lose precious lives.
Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. In case you feel distressed by the content or know someone in distress, call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm