flaws in our education system

 India has topped as the largest populated country beating China, with a population of 1407 Million inhabitants. development and growth of this economy can be only gained by promoting education. But how many young minds are really benefitted out of our education system? Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) show that students accounted for 8 per cent (13,089) of the total suicides in the country in 2021, with “failure in examination” listed as one of the reasons. This is an increase of 70 per cent in student suicides in a decade, up from 7,696 in 2011. according to NCRB reports the state of Maharashtra has the highest number of student suicides in 2021 with 1834 cases, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The report also showed the percentage of women student suicide was at a low of 43.9%, while that of male students made up of 56.51% of the total student suicides.

 As per Ministry of Education, 122 students from IITs, NITs Central Universities and other Central institutions died by suicide from 2014-21.68 of the 122 belonged to the Scheduled Caste(SC) and other backward classes. In 60% of families children’s career were decided even before they were born. By the time children get into class VII and VIII, they are being send by their parents for JEE or NEET coaching, which only serve as launchpads for students to gain admission to the prestigious, public-funded Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and All Indian Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). That is their ticket to promising careers and social status. Three- fourth of the aspirants enroll in coaching institutes like that of Kota in Rajasthan, where the students are pressurised at the peak irrespective of their caliber and abilities. as of January 2023, 22 students have died in Kota since 2022 and around 121 have died since 2011. With one more student suicide this year the cases had rise to 26 in total this year. 

The scenario in the prestigious institutes like IITs, NITs and AIIMS are shocking. At least some of those who make it to the IITs slowly crumble under academic pressure. many cases of suicides have been reported across the 23 IITs in the country to date. The figures were three, four, and nine in 2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively. Students blame the faculty members for giving students poor grades, claiming it aggravated their stress significantly, as most of their families depend on bank loans to pay the student’s fees and backlogs would be intolerable in such circumstances. The low student-to-teacher ratio makes it challenging for teachers to cater to the diverse needs of students. In fact, faculty improvement plays a key role in shaping the norms around student-teacher interaction at all levels. 

In June 2023, sraddha Satheesh, a student in Amal Jyothi College of Engineering, Kottayam in the state of Kerala has suicided due to mental harassment she has faced from the management. Shraddha’s suicide has sparked massive protests as students expose a culture of rampant harassment. Moral policing, slut shaming, unauthorised videography, religious discrimination and oppressive restrictions in the same institutions. Following this many reports of similar academic tensions came up. Students claimed they were compelled to write apology letters for smallest infractions like laughing, talking and even sneezing. Such oppressive measures were strictly kept up by the authority including staffs who wielded significant influence over the students lives. 

Educational institutions are alleged for caste- based discriminations too. The suicide of 18 years old Darshan Solanki at IIT Bombay is not an isolated case of suicide on grounds of caste and pride. From the well- known case of Rohith Vemula to Solanki, several students suicided after allegedly facing caste discrimination on campuses. Even with reservations, reports say that educational institutions are dominated by upper caste teachers and students. Oxfam India report notes that the ‘upper-caste’ faculties unfairly stereotype the backward class students as beneficiaries of reservations and question them with how they value education, as they presume these students will only take up menial, traditional and caste- based occupation later in their life. Such conditions of denial and backing from education preventing from their upliftment may lead to suicides. 

Several factors may have led to the psychological state of committing suicide among students. Most probably it would be academic pressure. High expectations from parents, teachers and society would bring enormous pressure to oneself and may seem like a Herculian task to accomplish, hence pushing themselves to quit forever. Mental health issues like depression, anxiety, etc too can be a reason for suicide, which would be intensified with stress, loneliness and lack of support. Leaving apart close ones of family or friend circle too may have contributing to suicide attempts. Financial issues like unaffordable fees or living expenses too are major reasons which are proved to be. Cyber bullying and online blackmailing or harassment too are becoming increasingly common and can contribute to student suicides. Many other problems like substance abuse, alcohol abuse, relationship problems, etc can influence in committing suicide. 

In fact, educational institutions must majorly play the role of personality development and growth of students rather than torturing them with hectic academic contents. Imposing rigid rules and being strict is not the supreme way to bring up discipline in students. In my opinion, discipline is not that matters; educational institutions must look forward to make the students responsible, mature and knowledgeable in this world. Not only students but also the staff and teachers must be given awareness about mental health and ways to achieve it. Students are not meant to confine into the school walls, rather they must know the flow of the world, knowing the woes of the rest of the world. Apart from everything every educational institution must be providing a positive environment for the personal growth of students, with teachers and peers offering support and encouragement. Efficient laws must be brought out and the existing laws must be made stronger. It’s the life of students, if not them then who will be the future?