Lok Sabha Question No. 2764 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-07
Subject: Increasing of Suicide Cases by Students
Ministry: Education
Asked by: P.R. Natarajan, Alok Kumar Suman, S.R. Parthiban, A. Chellakumar, Chandrani Murmu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2764

## ANSWERED ON 07.08.2023

## Increasing of Suicide Cases by Students

## 2764.  SHRI NATARAJAN P.R.:

DR. ALOK KUMAR SUMAN:

SHRI PARTHIBAN S.R.:

DR. A. CHELLAKUMAR:

MS. CHANDRANI MURMU:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether  the  number  of  suicide  cases  have  increased  during  the  last  five  years  in  the country including in premier educational institutes like  Indian  Institutes  of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Central Universities, IISERs and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), AIIMS and if so, the details thereof, year-wise, castewise, University-wise including student suicide in Odisha during the last five years;
- (b) whether the cases of suicides is proportionately higher in case of students pursuing higher education and if so, the details thereof including the details of students suicide in Odisha during the last five years;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  initiated  any  investigation  or  fact  finding  committee  to investigate the suicides and suspected death of students in IITs, IIMs, NITs in the country since 2014;
- (d) whether the Government has issued any direction to all Premier Institutes to take stern action in case of compelled suicide in the country;
- (e) the details of concrete steps taken or proposed to be taken by the Government to address the root cause of student suicide in these insititutions and Universities; and
- (f) whether most of the students who died belonged to SC/ST and OBC category or came from poor economic background, if so, the details  thereof  and  the  action  taken  by  the Government to tackle growing instances of caste discrimination and if not, the reasons therefor?

## A N S W E R

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUBHAS SARKAR)

(a) to (f): The details of number of students who committed suicide in the Indian Institutes of  Technology  (IITs),  National  Institutes  of  Technology  (NITs),  Central  Universities  (CUs), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISERs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), and All India Institutes of Medical Science (AIIMS), during the last five years are given in Annexure .  No  suicide  cases  have  been  reported  in  the  IIT,  NIT,  IISER,  IIM,  and  CU functioning  in  the  State  of  Odisha  in  the  last  5  years.  However,  one  case  in  AIIMS, Bhubaneshwar has been reported in 2020.

The  Government  accords  highest  importance  to  each  incident  of  suicide  on  campuses  of educational  Institutions  and  has  initiated  numerous  initiatives  in  this  regard.  The  National Education  Policy  (NEP)  2020  provisions  for  counselling  systems  for  handling  stress  and emotional adjustments in Institutions. It also provisions for opportunities for students' participation in sports, culture/arts clubs, eco-clubs, activity clubs, community service projects, etc. To check suicidal tendency among students, the Higher Education Institutions take proactive welfare  measures  to  prevent  harassment  and  mental  wellbeing  of  students  and  have  engaged Counsellors / Psychologists / Doctors for counseling of students from time to time. In addition, the Institute's own faculties / Wardens / Mentors are also actively involved in helping students to deal with a wide range of concerns be it academic, personal, emotional. These Institutes conducts regular counseling sessions through sensitization program for the students' community. Further, students,  wardens  and  caretakers  are  sensitized  to  bring  to  notice  the  signs  of  depression  in fellow students to the authorities so that timely clinical consultation may be provided.

University Grants Commission (UGC) (Redress of Grievances of Students) Regulations, 2019 have  been  formulated  to  safe  guard  the  interest  of  students.  UGC  has  also  notified  UGC Regulations  on  curbing  the  menace  of  Ragging  in  Higher  Educational  Institutions,  2009  and issued circulars  for strict compliance of the regulations. To address the issue of mental health and  well-being  during  and  after  COVID,  UGC  had  issued  advisories  to  Higher  Education Institutions  (HEIs)  on  05.04.2020.  UGC  has  also  circulated  the  National  Suicide  Prevention Strategy, 2021 formulated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The  Ministry  of  Education  has  undertaken  various  steps  such  as  peer  assisted  learning, introduction  of  technical  education  in  regional  languages  for  students  in  order  to  ease  the academic  stress.  The  Government  of  India  initiative,  named  MANODARPAN,  covers  a  wide range of activities to provide psychological support to students, teachers and families for mental and  emotional  well-being  during  the  COVID  outbreak  and  beyond.  Besides  this,  students' specialised psychological  counselling  helplines, students'  wellness centres,  buddy-support system and various other measures have been implemented in Higher Education Institutions, for early detection of cases of psychological stress.

Usually, suicide amongst students is driven by varied causes working in isolation and mostly, in conjunction,  which  includes  academic  stress,  family  reasons,  personal  reasons,  mental  health issues,  financial  distress,  and  inter  personal  frictions  between  students.  In  order  to  proactively address  any  issues  of  SC  /  ST  students,  Institutes  have  set  up  mechanisms  such  as  SC  /  ST students' cells, Equal Opportunity Cell, Student Grievance Cell, Student Grievance Committee, Student  Social  Club,  Liaison  officers,  Liaison  Committee  etc.  Further,  UGC  has  issued instructions from time to time for promoting equity and fraternity amongst students.

The  IIT  Council  in  its  recent  meeting  held  in  April,  2023  directed  IITs  to  be  proactive  in providing  all  kind  of  support  to  students  including  developing  a  robust  mechanism  of  zero tolerance for discrimination and also to deploy psychological counsellors in their Institutes. IIT Madras, IIT Delhi and IIT Gandhinagar have also conducted workshops on Mental Wellness & Stress  Management,  in Northern,  Western  and  Southern  regions  during  May-June,  2023, involving multiple educational Institutions and experts in the field of mental health, to develop a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention and mental health promotion.

*****

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  PART  (a)  to  (f)  OF  THE  REPLY  TO  THE  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2764 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.08.2023 REGARDING 'INCREASING OF SUICIDE CASES BY STUDENTS' ASKED BY SHRI NATARAJAN P.R., DR. ALOK  KUMAR  SUMAN,  SHRI  PARTHIBAN  S.R.,  DR.  A  CHELLAKUMAR  AND  MS. CHANDRANI MURMU, HON'BLE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

## 1. Details of Institutes / Universities where student suicides have been reported

| S.No.   | Institutes / Universities   |   Number of students who committed suicide during the last five years |   Number of students who committed suicide during the last five years |   Number of students who committed suicide during the last five years |   Number of students who committed suicide during the last five years |   Number of students who committed suicide during the last five years |
|---------|-----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No.   | Institutes / Universities   |                                                                  2018 |                                                                  2019 |                                                                  2020 |                                                                  2021 |                                                                  2022 |
| 1.      | IITs                        |                                                                     8 |                                                                     8 |                                                                     3 |                                                                     4 |                                                                     9 |
| 2.      | NITs                        |                                                                     3 |                                                                     8 |                                                                     1 |                                                                     2 |                                                                     7 |
| 3.      | CUs                         |                                                                     6 |                                                                     4 |                                                                     4 |                                                                     1 |                                                                     5 |
| 4.      | IISERs                      |                                                                     1 |                                                                     0 |                                                                     0 |                                                                     0 |                                                                     2 |
| 5.      | IIMs                        |                                                                     1 |                                                                     0 |                                                                     1 |                                                                     1 |                                                                     1 |
| 6.      | AIIMS                       |                                                                     2 |                                                                     0 |                                                                     4 |                                                                     2 |                                                                     3 |
| Total   | Total                       |                                                                    21 |                                                                    20 |                                                                    13 |                                                                    10 |                                                                    27 |

## 2. State-wise details of Institutes / Universities where student suicides have been reported

| S.No.   | State / UT        | Name of Institutes / Universities                                                                                                                                                                 |   Number of students who committed suicide during the last five years and the current year |   Number of students who committed suicide during the last five years and the current year |   Number of students who committed suicide during the last five years and the current year |   Number of students who committed suicide during the last five years and the current year |   Number of students who committed suicide during the last five years and the current year |
|---------|-------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No.   | State / UT        | Name of Institutes / Universities                                                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                       2018 |                                                                                       2019 |                                                                                       2020 |                                                                                       2021 |                                                                                       2022 |
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh    | IIT Tirupati, IIM Visakhapatnam, NIT-Andhra Pradesh, IISER- Tirupati, Central University of Andhra Pradesh, Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh, CU National Sanskrit University          |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |
| 2       | Arunachal Pradesh | NIT-Arunachal Pradesh, CU Rajiv Gandhi University                                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          1 |
| 3       | Assam             | IIT Guwahati, NIT-Silchar, Assam University, CU Tezpur University                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          3 |
| 4       | Bihar             | IIT Patna, IIM Bodhgaya, NIT- Patna, AIIMS Bihar, AIIMS Patna, Central University Of South Bihar, Mahatma Gandhi Central University                                                               |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |
| 5       | Chhattisgarh      | CU Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, IIT Bhilai, IIM Raipur, NIT-Raipur, AIIMS Raipur                                                                                                                |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          2 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          1 |
| 6       | Delhi             | IIT Delhi, NIT-Delhi, AIIMS Delhi, University of Delhi, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University, The Central Sanskrit University |                                                                                          3 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          3 |                                                                                          3 |                                                                                          4 |
| 7       | Goa               | IIT Goa, NIT Goa                                                                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |

| S.No.   | State / UT       | Name of Institutes / Universities                                                                                                   |   Number of students who committed suicide during the last five years and the current year |   Number of students who committed suicide during the last five years and the current year |   Number of students who committed suicide during the last five years and the current year |   Number of students who committed suicide during the last five years and the current year |   Number of students who committed suicide during the last five years and the current year |
|---------|------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No.   | State / UT       | Name of Institutes / Universities                                                                                                   |                                                                                       2018 |                                                                                       2019 |                                                                                       2020 |                                                                                       2021 |                                                                                       2022 |
| 8       | Gujarat          | IIT Gandhinagar, IIM Ahmedabad, SVNIT-Surat, AIIMS Rajkot, Central University of Gujarat                                            |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          0 |
| 9       | Haryana          | IIM Rohtak, NIT-Kurukshetra, Central University of Haryana                                                                          |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |
| 10      | Himachal Pradesh | IIT Mandi, IIM Sirmaur, NIT- Hamirpur, AIIMS Bilaspur, Central University of Himachal Pradesh                                       |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |
| 11      | Jammu& Kashmir   | IIT Jammu, IIM Jammu, NIT- Srinagar, Central University of Jammu , Central University of Kashmir, AIIMS Jammu                       |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |
| 12      | Jharkhand        | IIT ISM Dhanbad, IIM Ranchi, NIT-Jamshedpur, AIIMS Deoghar, Central University of Jharkhand                                         |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |
| 13      | Karnataka        | IIT Dharwad, IIM Bangalore, NITK-Surathkal, Central University of Karnataka                                                         |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          2 |                                                                                          0 |
| 14      | Kerala           | IIT Palakkad, IIM Kozhikode, NIT- Calicut, IISER- Thiruvananthapuram, Central University of Kerala                                  |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          2 |
| 15      | Madhya Pradesh   | IIT Indore, IIM Indore, NIT- Bhopal, IISER-Bhopal, AIIMS Bhopal, Dr. Harisingh Gour Vish., Indira Gandhi National Tribal University |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          2 |
| 16      | Maharashtra      | IIT Bombay, IIM Nagpur, VNIT- Nagpur, IISER-Pune, Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya, AIIMS Nagpur                 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          2 |
| 17      | Manipur          | NIT-Manipur, Manipur University                                                                                                     |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |
| 18      | Meghalaya        | IIM Shillong, NIT-Meghalaya, North Eastern Hill Univ.                                                                               |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |
| 19      | Mizoram          | NIT-Mizoram, Mizoram University                                                                                                     |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |
| 20      | Nagaland         | NIT-Nagaland, Nagaland University                                                                                                   |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |
| 21      | Odisha           | IIT Bhubaneshwar, IIM Sambalpur, NIT-Rourkela, IISER-Berhampur, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, Central University of Odisha                     |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |
| 22      | Puducherry       | NIT-Puducherry, Pondicherry University                                                                                              |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |
| 23      | Punjab           | IIT Ropar, IIM Amritsar, DR. B.R. Ambedkar NIT-Jalandhar, IISER- Mohali, Central University of Punjab                               |                                                                                          2 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          1 |

| S.No.   | State / UT    | Name of Institutes / Universities                                                                                                                                                     |   Number of students who committed suicide during the last five years and the current year |   Number of students who committed suicide during the last five years and the current year |   Number of students who committed suicide during the last five years and the current year |   Number of students who committed suicide during the last five years and the current year |   Number of students who committed suicide during the last five years and the current year |
|---------|---------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No.   | State / UT    | Name of Institutes / Universities                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                       2018 |                                                                                       2019 |                                                                                       2020 |                                                                                       2021 |                                                                                       2022 |
| 24      | Rajasthan     | IIT Jodhpur, IIM Udaipur, NIT- Jaipur, Central University of Rajasthan, AIIMS Jodhpur                                                                                                 |                                                                                          2 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |
| 25      | Sikkim        | NIT-Sikkim, Sikkim University                                                                                                                                                         |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |
| 26      | Tamil Nadu    | IIT Madras, IIM Tiruchirappalli, NIT-Tiruchirappalli, AIIMS Madurai, Central University of Tamil Nadu                                                                                 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          4 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          3 |
| 27      | Telangana     | IIT Hyderabad, NIT-WARANGAL, AIIMS Bibinagar, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, University of Hyderabad , The English & Foreign Languages University                             |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          4 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          1 |
| 28      | Tripura       | NIT-Agartala, Tripura University                                                                                                                                                      |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          0 |
| 29      | Uttar Pradesh | IIT Kanpur, IIT BHU, IIM Lucknow, NIT-Allahabad, AIIMS Raebareli, Aligarh Muslim University, Banaras Hindu University, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, University of Allahabad |                                                                                          5 |                                                                                          3 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          3 |
| 30      | Uttarakhand   | IIT Roorkee, IIM Kashipur, NIT- Uttrakhand, AIIMS Rishikesh, Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University                                                                               |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          2 |
| 31      | West Bengal   | IIT Kharagpur, IIM Calcutta, NIT- Durgapur, IIEST Shibpur, IISER- Kolkata, AIIMS Kalyani, CU Visva Bharati                                                                            |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          1 |                                                                                          2 |                                                                                          0 |                                                                                          2 |
|         |               | Total                                                                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                         21 |                                                                                         20 |                                                                                         13 |                                                                                         10 |                                                                                         27 |