Published by: Sukanya Nandy
Last updated: July 20, 2023, 2:20 PM IST
Rajasthan’s Kota is one of the most preferred destinations for aspirants from across the country (Representative Image/Shutterstock)
Students who come to prepare for the competitive exams in the country’s coaching capital – face cut-throat competition, packed schedules, relentless pressure to do better and homesickness on a daily basis
When it comes to coaching for technical and medical entrance exams, Kota in Rajasthan is one of the most preferred destinations for aspirants from across the country. Every year, a large number of students from the country apply to various coaching institutes and start their path towards their ambition. However, in addition to the positive aspects of Kota, there is also a negative side.
Students who come to prepare for the competitive exams in the country’s coaching capital face cut-throat competition, packed schedules, relentless pressure to do better and homesickness on a daily basis. Sometimes the pressure to pass the competitive exam causes students to take desperate measures.
On July 17, a 17-year-old who arrived in Kota days ago to prepare for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) medical entrance examination died by suicide. Pushpendra Singh committed suicide by hanging himself at the hostel on Sunday. He was from the city of Jalore in Rajasthan, nearly 500 km away. This tragic incident has brought student suicides in Kota to 16 this year. According to reports, Singh came to Kota a week ago and enrolled in a top coaching center to prepare for NEET. So far, the police have not found a suicide note on the case and an investigation into the matter is ongoing.
Relatives of the student, who came to collect his body, asked the administration to intervene carefully in the case and also to keep an eye on the series of suicides. “We ask, why is this happening in Kota? Children leave home happy, this child spoke happily to his parents, why did he do this? why is this happening? Our kid was in grade 11, he came here 7 days ago and there was no stress,” said the teen’s uncle, Indra Singh, as quoted by DailyExpertNews.
This incident has highlighted the disturbing trend of student suicides in the coaching capital. Many have attributed the stress of studies and candidates’ fear of failure. Two such suicides were reported in two days in the month of June, while five student suicides occurred in Kota in May. In the past six months, about 15 incidents of students committing or attempting suicide have been documented in Kota.
Coaching centers such as the Allen Career Institute, Resonance Eduventures, and Motion Classes have collectively made Kota a bustling hub for students seeking to pass entrance exams in engineering and medicine. “The promise of a bright future is a script that has been told to these students and everyone puts everything in that hope,” psychologist Ahla Matra told Moneycontrol.com.
She further added that since most students stay away from their homes, the pressure to excel gets to them and feel inadequate if they fail to meet the standards. This is a phase where their identities are just forming and students are still figuring out their social circle. This, along with changing cities, can be difficult for the students, she added.
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- 764 53841, Pratheeksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maithri (Kochi) 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata)