From mothers on sabbatical to grandparents and housewives, many people choose to transfer to the coaching hub Kota with their children to ensure they don’t get stressed while preparing for entrance exams and don’t take extreme steps.
Neeru Devi from Sitamarhi in Bihar, aged 80, has moved to Kota, the coaching hub of the country, to be with her grandson who is preparing for the IIT entrance exam at an institute there.
“We wouldn’t have been at peace at home,” she said, shedding light on the increasing pressure students face as they prepare for medical and engineering entrance exams here.
2023 saw the highest number of student suicides – 22 so far – with two ending their lives within hours on August 27. Last year there were 15.
A busy schedule, cutthroat competition, constant pressure to do better, the burden of parental expectations and homesickness are among the common problems faced by the students here.
Many parents are now averse to housing their children in hostels. Instead, they rent accommodation in Kota and stay with their children, even taking a sabbatical.
Sandhya Dwivedi of Satna from Madhya Pradesh is staying here with her son while her husband takes on other responsibilities at home.
“Now I worry less. My son studies at night… I give him tea or coffee. He knows I’m here to talk to him and comfort him. He was sick twice this month and I was here to take care of him. I want him to crack JEE, but I don’t want to lose him in the process…we’ve heard about student suicides and we can’t take that risk,” she said.
Over two and a half lakh students move to Kota annually to prepare for competitive exams such as the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) for engineering and the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to medical colleges.
Speaking to PTI, Neeru Devi said, “We have heard all kinds of news. That is why we decided not to keep him in a hostel, but to stay with him… Now I stay with him and if he does not perform well or is not comfortable, his mother comes here.” Shivani Jain, a software engineer in Chandigarh, has decided to take a sabbatical to prepare for NEET with her daughter.
“She is now in class 11. Until she completes her class 12 and finally passes the exam, I will be with her in Kota. If I leave her in a hostel, I won’t have peace at home.
“Sometimes children are hesitant to call home and talk about their stress. But since I’ve been here I can notice any changes in her behavior and comfort her. My husband is in Chandigarh with our son who is in grade five,” she said.
Kumari Shimpi from Jahanabad in Bihar lives in Kota with her two children.
“My son is preparing for JEE and my daughter for NEET. At least when I’m here they won’t be homesick. If they get bogged down with their studies, they won’t feel comfortable not getting proper food or doing their own laundry, and I’ll worry if they take an extreme step in the pressure.
“I tell them if you fail the exam, we’ll go back, but I’ll stay here as long as you’re here,” she said.
Kota police are fighting to control student suicides and say it is very important that parents get their children used to the city’s struggles so they don’t feel lost here.
“We understand that not all parents can be here. But when they come to drop off their kids to Kota, they should stay with them for at least a month to let them get used to the place, the schedule and the whole situation… especially for those who are going to live away from their parents for the first time Chandrasheel Thakur, the additional superintendent of police, Kota, told PTI.
The district administration has asked coaching institutes to stop conducting routine tests for students preparing for NEET and other competitive exams for the next two months in the wake of the latest suicides.
If you or someone you know needs help, call one of these helplines: Aasra (Mumbai) 022-27546669, Sneha (Chennai) 044-24640050, Sumaitri (Delhi) 011-23389090, Cooj (Goa) 0832-2252525, Jeevan (Jamshedpur) ) 065-76453841, Pratheeksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maithri (Kochi) 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata)
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and was published via a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)
