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Statistics say that every year about two lakh children get enrolled in the coaching ‘factories’ at Kota, Rajasthan, that have an annual turnover of about Rs.1800 crores. Childeren havei in their eyes a goal mostly borrowed from others or one that is forcibly thrust upon them. Becoming a doctor or an engineer tops the list of these goals. Promises are made to parents, fear of not fulfilling their desires and ‘dreams’ of living up to their expectations also lead to a heavy burden on the tender teenage mind.
Apart from being a morbid hub that often fuels impractical and unfeasible dreams of middle-class Indian families, Kota has also become the suicide capital of India. Kota is a sad commentary on the Indian education system. It’s like a festering wound whose stench reaches all the children at an early age while they are studying in schools.
Every year about 9000 children get admission in IITs. These children of 13 to 15 years of age make Kota their home away from home till they become successful. Since they have to perform ‘better’ than the rest of the competitors they go through a great deal of emotional stress. According to media reports, on December 12, 2022, three students from Bihar preparing for competitive exams committed suicide in Kota.
At least 15 students commit suicide every year in Kota. So far, this year (2023) 23 students have committed suicide. This is raising an appallingly huge question regarding the entire process of coaching and preparation for competitive exams.
Thousands of children commit suicide:
According to the National Crime Records Bureau data, 15, 526 students have committed suicide in India throughout the year, which is a record in itself. This percentage is than what it was in 2019. According to the data collected since 1995, 1.8 lakh students have committed suicide in India so far. The irony is that no sooner do the results of 10th, 12th or any major competitive examination come than the number of students who commit suicide rises.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 22,319 students committed suicide between 2012 and 2014. Every year, on an average 7,460 students have committed suicide by consuming poison, by hanging themselves, jumping from the roof or by jumping in front of a speeding train. On an average, more than twenty children commit suicide every day. In a society where success is worshipped, knowingly or unknowingly, teachers, parents, who demand success from children, all become masked killers. These suicides happen primarily only because of their pressure.
Some other serious reasons:
There are other reasons behind such painful incidents. Moving away from their families at the age of 13 or 15 and settling in another city is like a shock for many kids. In the new city, there is a sudden and serious burden of studies, and in the event of not being able to deal with it, some other dangers are staring them in the face. Drug abuse, sexual curiosity, loneliness, anxiety, financial pressure are other major reasons that force children to commit suicide.
Troubled children seek security in personal relationships and get into trouble there too. Many girl students get pregnant due to physical relations in Kota; Neither can they share their situation nor can they take help from anyone. In such a situation the poor, helpless students thinks that the best way is to take one’s own life. These facts have been revealed in a report conducted by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
No Admission Test:
In order to mint money, generally there are no entrance exams in the coaching centers of Kota. Whether a student wants to become a doctor or an engineer or not, as long as his or her parents reach there, are ready to spend money, their kids are given admission.
It is only after the hostel life begins that the children realize their difficulties. Those who are unable to adjust there, and cannot find a way out, are unable to share their thoughts with the parents, ultimately embrace a painful fate such as suicide.
Significantly, the highest number of suicides occur in India today in the age group of 15-29 years. The condition of coaching and tuition is so brutal that according to a study conducted by ASSOCHAM in ten major cities, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Chandigarh have 87% of the primary class and 95 % of the secondary level Children take private tuition.
This means that it has become necessary for every child going to school to go for private tuition, even if the parents have to take a loan for it. If the child who has taken a loan fails, the parents and the children also come under tremendous pressure. What a cruel and insensitive society we live in! And all this has been done by us. When the home tuition is over, then the coaching starts. Sometimes both go together.
Is there Life is beyond success?
When children who are fail in competitive examinations commit suicide, do these words not be echoing in their ears: ‘Son, doctor, engineer! Become an IAS, otherwise hang yourselves!’. Even if their parents and teachers do not use these exact words, but their body language, their gestures give the same message to the children that they are no longer ‘useful’, that they should be ashamed of themselves.
What would it be like to be just a human being; unless success is achieved in medical, engineering and administrative fields, what does it to mean just live. Children must have seen for themselves that all the avenues in the world closed and taking their own life must have been seen as the only panacea. I am sure they would not have seen the slightest subtle signs of sympathy, compassion. Everywhere they would have seen ambitious, hungry, merciless eyes, asking the question: “Kyun, paas nahi huye naalayak? What else was expected from you? Did you see so-and-so? He/she has made it to the top. You have drowned the name of your parents.
A clear example of the cruelty of parents/teachers/coaching centres that use children for their own satisfaction and achievement is the atmosphere of ruthless competition. Apart from studying medical and engineering, these days the craze for civil service is increasing day by day. I have spent many years in Prayagraj and know parents who have even sold their ancestral property so that their kids may succeed in UPSC examinations! The students years in their stuffy, hole—in-the-mill hostels and after many a year, are neither successful for administrative jobs, nor do they have any skills to do something to even make both ends meet.
CBSE has now thought of designing its curriculum in such a way that children gear up for civil services from ninth standard itself. Especially in those regions where there is little or no industrial development. This is not a very healthy development, but in the present circumstances, a big change is beyond imagination. Only these small reforms can be thought of and worked on. I sincerely hope they succeed.
Candidates who are successful in administrative examinations are far above the average student in intelligence. Their importance is more because they have a greater ability to earn money and fame. In the marriage market, the price of IAS is very high. IAS is the new god of our post-colonial era. The world does not end for those candidates who are not able to succeed in the battle of IAS in future and is there anyone to explain the stupidity of this to the students?
Lack of Counselling:
Most of the schools do not have a psychological counselor who can reduce their stress and teach them more productive ways to live meaningfully. Children become victims of terrible ‘low self-esteem’ (inferiority and guilt) at a young age. They always feel as if they are doing something wrong and that is why their parents and teachers are angry with them.
Some adjust themselves with time and use their skills somewhere, but many roam around disappointed throughout their life due to frustration. The farmer father of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh sends the child to Allahabad, Delhi, Kota or other cities on loan, keeps working in the field, and the children continue with their endless efforts year after year. Behind every successful candidate, there are millions of tearful eyes and frustrated hearts. The system itself is like this. Many have to be pushed back in order for a few to move forward. One has got to be cruel and self-centered.
We are all part of the conspiracy:
Poor and middle class children think that the only goal in life is to score excellent marks in school-college and get admission in IIT, IIM or AIIMS. There is a fierce battle for admission in reputed educational institutions. The entrance exam of IIM is considered very tough.
Every year about 15 lakh students try their luck for about ten thousand seats in IITs. The lives of children are becoming a tough struggle day by day. We are all responsible for this; so much so that it has become difficult to find any one person and blame him or her. There is a long queue of conspirators; of those who are guilty. Many people have contributed in the making life hell for our tender, young kids. No whataboutery has any meaning in this domain. It’s a multidimensional issue and the moment we start blaming others, and are honest in our analysis, we will soon find that we are also amongst those who are to blame for this appalling situation.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.