Abstract
Aim
Student suicide is one significant public health concern across the world, including India. In recent years, the surge in suicide cases has further worried mental health professionals and policymakers. The current study analysed the reported student suicide cases published in four leading Indian newspapers.
Method
Based on the analysis of newspaper reports published between 2019 and 2023, the study detected a total of 491 suicidal deaths of students.
Result
The result revealed that academic reasons (academic dissatisfaction, academic stress and academic failure), institutional reasons (bullying, caste discrimination, ragging, harassment and toxic institutional culture), mental health issues (depression, psychological stress and anxiety), financial crisis and online gaming are the most commonly reported reasons behind student suicides. The majority of suicide victims were within the age range of 16–21 years. The highest number of suicide cases are reported from Kota, a city often referred to as the coaching capital of India.
Conclusion
The study highlights considering changes in the academic curriculum to make academic programs less stressful for students. More importantly, policies should ensure that the academic campuses are free from harassment, bullying or similar aggressive experiences. Furthermore, emphasising students' mental health should be the education system's biggest priority.
Student suicide is one significant public health concern across the world, including India. In recent years, the surge in suicide cases has further worried mental health professionals and policymakers. The current study analysed the reported student suicide cases published in four leading Indian newspapers.
Method
Based on the analysis of newspaper reports published between 2019 and 2023, the study detected a total of 491 suicidal deaths of students.
Result
The result revealed that academic reasons (academic dissatisfaction, academic stress and academic failure), institutional reasons (bullying, caste discrimination, ragging, harassment and toxic institutional culture), mental health issues (depression, psychological stress and anxiety), financial crisis and online gaming are the most commonly reported reasons behind student suicides. The majority of suicide victims were within the age range of 16–21 years. The highest number of suicide cases are reported from Kota, a city often referred to as the coaching capital of India.
Conclusion
The study highlights considering changes in the academic curriculum to make academic programs less stressful for students. More importantly, policies should ensure that the academic campuses are free from harassment, bullying or similar aggressive experiences. Furthermore, emphasising students' mental health should be the education system's biggest priority.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | e13616 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Early Intervention in Psychiatry |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 8 Oct 2024 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 13 Jan 2025 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
