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‘Disturbed’ Anand Mahindra's advice for Kota students as suicide cases surge: ‘Want to tell…’
On Sunday, two teenagers living in Kota to prepare for admission into medical colleges died by suicide, taking the grim tally to 23 this year.
As Kota saw a sharp rise in suicide cases this year, Mahindra group chairman Anand Mahindra said he is “disturbed” by the news, but advised students preparing for competitive examinations in the Rajasthan town “to find yourself” rather than "proving yourself” at this stage of their life.
On Sunday, two teenagers living in Kota to prepare for admission into medical colleges died by suicide, taking the grim tally of students dying in a town known across the country for its test-prep business to 23 this year.
Responding to a comment on X (formally Twitter) over the rising suicide incidents, Mahindra wrote, “I am as disturbed as you are by this news. Tragic to see so many bright futures being extinguished. I don’t have any great wisdom to share. But I would want to tell every student in Kota that your goal at this stage of life is not to prove yourself but to FIND yourself.”
“Lack of success in an examination is simply part of a journey of self-exploration. It means your real talents lie elsewhere. Keep searching, keep traveling. You will eventually discover—and uncover—what brings out the best in you…,” the business tycoon added.
More than two lakh students move to Kota, a coaching hub, annually to prepare for competitive exams such as the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) for admission to engineering institutes and the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for medical colleges.
On Monday, a senior official of the Rajasthan government held a meeting with the Kota collector and other officials through video conference over the suicide incidents. Representatives of coaching institutes and hostel associations also attended the meeting chaired by Bhawani Singh Detha, principal secretary (higher and technical education). Detha is also the chairman of a committee formed on the direction of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to look into the issue. The committee will also visit Kota soon.
On August 18, Gehlot held a meeting of all the stakeholders and directed them to form the committee which will submit its report within 15 days.
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