Why students commit suicide in Kota?

Kota aka the suicide capital of India has experienced 57 suicides until this June 2016. Few of the many reasons may be:

• Inability to cope up with the rigorous study schedules which leaves no time for students to themselves.
• A brutal method of segregation of weak or average students from the “ deserving “ crowd.
• The most common, expectations of parents and the fear of letting them down.
• Most students are forced by their parents and their expectations into a profession they are not really made for, into the hyper-competetive race for making into the prestigious IIT’s and AIIMS
• Parents must stop imposing their dreams on their children
• Prime reason for suicide from my point of view is not the fear of failure but young students are really unaware of the opportunity they have in future
• Pressure is also there in IAS, IES exam but people do not commit suicide because they become so mature to think that is not the correct way of giving up. But at the age of 13-17 we do not have that maturity.

Kota alone cannot be blamed for the student suicides. It is the general environment, where a few institutions are put up in a pedestal by the society. Most students are forced by their parents and their expectations into a profession they are not really made for, into the hyper-competetive race for making into the prestigious IIT’s and AIIMS.

It is important for parents and students both to realise that choosing a profession is an individuals choice based on interest and skills. Parents must stop imposing their dreams on their children. The immense family pressure builds up stress in the minds of students often leading them to take drastic steps. Also, considering your child as symbol for personal status in the society by means of comparison is wrong. IIT’s and AIIMS are not the end of the world. There is life beyond it.