Kota student suicide: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot directs officials to form panels, says 'Time has come for….'

livemint.com:

Valmiki Jangid died of suicide. Valmiki Jangid was from the Gaya district of Bihar and was preparing for Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) in Kota. After the death, the administration was seen in action and ordered the hostels to install a spring device on ceiling fans to prevent cases of suicides.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot chaired a meeting to discuss the rising cases of suicides in the district. “There should not be any further rise in such (suicide) cases… time has come for improvement. We cannot see young students committing suicide… even the death of even one kid is unfortunate and is a huge loss for parents," he said.

Ashok Gehlot suggested that the students of Class 9th and 10th should not be admitted to coaching institutes as it puts an extra burden on them. “You are committing a crime in a way by enrolling students of Classes IX and X in coaching institutes. It is also the parents’ fault.

Students face the burden of clearing the board exams and preparing for entrance exams," he said. Every year, thousands of students from various regions of India arrive in Kota with a dream to get admission into prestigious Indian colleges. The recent surge in cases of suicides explains the huge amount of pressure these children go through and it is clear that some long-term structural changes are required to save these young lives.