Lok Sabha Question No. 2033 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-30
Subject: Suicides by Students
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: ABHISHEK BANERJEE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2033 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.07.2018

## Suicides by Students

## 2033. SHRI ABHISHEK BANERJEE:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the data of student suicides in school and college campuses, State/UT-wise;
- (b) whether the Government is collecting or recording data regarding the reasons or causes behind these student suicides ;
- (c) whether  the  Government  is  promoting  counselling  sessions  for  students  and  if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the Government is taking any other steps to prevent student suicides?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)

(a)&(b): Data on student suicides in school and college campuses is not maintained by this  Ministry.  However, as per the data available on 'Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India  2015'  published  by  National  Crime  Records  bureau  (NCRB),  a  total  of  8934 students  had  committed  suicide  in  the  year  2015.  The  state  wise  list  is  enclosed  as Annexure-I .  The  report  mentions  that  1360  persons  below  the  age  of  18  years  and 1183 persons below the age of 30 years committed suicide during 2015 due to failure in examination.  Navodaya  Vidyalaya  Samiti  has  informed  that  a  total  of  14  cases  of suicides were reported in the year 2017 in Navodaya Vidyalayas.

(c)&(d): As education is a subject in the concurrent list of the constitution, a majority of the  schools  are  under  the  control  of  the  respective  state  Governments.  As  regards School  Education,  the  States  and  UTs  are  advised  to  frame  a  special  strategy  for guidance and counselling in schools. It is recommended to have teachers qualified on guidance and counselling services and thereby capable of conducting varied guidance and  counselling  programmes  in  schools.  Moreover,  the  existing  teachers  are  also trained for this purpose and Guest Lectures by prominent people in different fields are also  arranged.  Guidance  and  counselling  is  an  essential  part  of  in-service  training programmes for teachers and Principals. During 2017-18, an amount of Rs. 465.87 lakh was  approved  to  different  States/UTs  for  guidance  and  counseling  activities  under Rashtriya  Madhyamik  Shiksha  Abhiyan  (RMSA).    Under  the  Integrated  scheme  for School  Education  -  Samagra  Shiksha  launched  from  2018-19,  there  is  provision  for supporting  States  and  UTs  on  interventions  related  to  Guidance  and  counselling  in schools. Further, The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), vide its circular number 8, dated March 10, 2008, stated that at least twenty sessions of psychological counselling are to be provided to every student in an academic session at secondary and senior secondary level. The Board vide its circular number 24, dated July 14, 2009 highlighted the need of a full time Counsellor at each level of schooling. The advisory emphasized that parents and teachers may also be involved in psychological sessions. Affiliation Bye-Laws of CBSE since 2010 require that every school shall appoint a full time counsellor.

Navodaya  Vidyalaya  Samiti  (NVS)  has  informed  that  in  the  training  programme  for teachers,  one  or  two  sessions  are  included  to  sensitize  the  teachers  and  Principals regarding  safety  and  security  of  the  children  and  also  identify  the  suicidal  tendency among the children and take preventive steps to avoid the same. Regular counseling sessions are conducted by inviting counselors in the schools where the students are found  in  a  disturbed  state.  In  case  of  serious  psychological  problems  among  the children, psychiatrists are engaged to identify the behavioral changes and the reasons for  such  behavior  by  the  specialized  counselors.  Counselors  are  also  appointed  from time to time.

As regards Higher Education, the State Governments were also requested to consider the following 12 measures suggested by Justice Roopanwal Commission of Enquiry :

(i)  The  university should evolve a mechanism where the students can appeal in case there is any excess by the university.

(ii) Counselling Centres consisting of professionally trained counsellors should be set up which shall provide services to students, research scholars and faculty including nonteaching staff.

(iii)  Monitoring  Committees  should  be  constituted  which  should  be  headed  by  the supervisors who would provide guidance on the matters related to the subjects studied by the students.

(iv)  Equal  opportunity  Cell  headed  by  the  Anti-discrimination  Officer  as  per  the  UGC (Promotion  of  Equity  in  Higher  Educational  Institutions)  Regulations,  2012  should  be made functional. (v)  Grievance  Redressal  Committee  headed  by  the  Ombudsman  as  per  the  UGC (Grievance Redressal) Regulation 2012 should be made effective. (vi) Strong induction programme for better acclimatization. (vii) Establish, as far as possible, local guardian system for outstation students. (viii)  Grievances  to  be  discussed  and  dispensed  with  on  weekly  basis  and  Vice Chancellor to hold meetings on monthly basis. (ix) Remedial teaching for academically weak students. (x) Deans to closely monitor Department problems. Any serious issue to be brought to the notice of Vice Chancellor immediately. (xi) University to select suitable student volunteers to act as mentors and help freshers. (xii)  Effective  administration and supervision of Hostel and strict compliance of Hostel Admission  Rules  and  Regulations  so  that only current students allotted hostel accommodation by the University stay in the hostels. appointment of Student Counselors, organizing Workshops/Seminars Happiness/Wellness, regular sessions on Yoga, holding induction

As regards the educational institutes of the Ministry, a number of steps have been taken for  overall  development  of  students  as  well  as  to  de-stress  them.  These  include on programs, extracurricular activities including sports and cultural activities etc.

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## Annexure-I

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) & (b) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  2033  FOR  30.07.2018  REGARDING SUICIDES  BY STUDENTS ASKED BY SHRI ABHISHEK BANERJEE

| Sl.No   | States/UTs        |   Total |
|---------|-------------------|---------|
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh    |     360 |
| 2       | Arunachal Pradesh |      33 |
| 3       | Assam             |     564 |
| 4       | Bihar             |      62 |
| 5       | Chhattisgarh      |     730 |
| 6       | Goa               |      25 |
| 7       | Gujarat           |     469 |
| 8       | Haryana           |     177 |
| 9       | Himachal Pradesh  |      43 |
| 10      | Jammu & Kashmir   |      64 |
| 11      | Jharkhand         |     138 |
| 12      | Karnataka         |     597 |
| 13      | Kerala            |     374 |
| 14      | Madhya Pradesh    |     625 |
| 15      | Maharashtra       |    1230 |
| 16      | Manipur           |       6 |
| 17      | Meghalaya         |      20 |
| 18      | Mizoram           |      18 |
| 19      | Nagaland          |       2 |
| 20      | Odisha            |     330 |
| 21      | Punjab            |      65 |
| 22      | Rajasthan         |     197 |
| 23      | Sikkim            |      41 |
| 24      | Tamil Nadu        |     955 |
| 25      | Telangana         |     491 |
| 26      | Tripura           |      74 |
| 27      | Uttar Pradesh     |     229 |
| 28      | Uttarakhand       |      53 |
| 29      | West Bengal       |     676 |
|         | Total (States)    |    8648 |
| 30      | A & N Islands     |      14 |
| 31      | Chandigarh        |      26 |
| 32      | D&N Haveli        |      10 |
| 33      | Daman & Diu       |       4 |
| 34      | Delhi UT          |     214 |
| 35      | Lakshadweep       |       1 |
| 36      | Puducherry        |      17 |
|         | Total(UTs)        |     286 |
|         | Total (All India) |    8934 |