JEE aspirant allegedly dies by suicide in Rajasthan’s Kota; 20th case this year
The 16-year-old from Bihar had come to Kota in April and was staying in a hostel accommodation in Kota’s Vigyan Nagar area
Jaipur: A 16-year-old student preparing for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for admission in undergraduate engineering courses, allegedly died by suicide in Rajasthan’s Kota district on Friday, police said.
The latest death has taken the toll in similar incidents from Rajasthan, to 20 this year. Last year, 27 students, preparing for various competitive examinations, died by suicide in the state.
The 16-year-old from Bihar had come to Kota in April and was staying in a hostel accommodation in Kota’s Vigyan Nagar area, said the deputy superintendent of police (DSP) of the Kota Fifth Circle, Lokendra Palliwal.
“On Friday, he hung himself in the hostel room. When he did not respond to the several knocks of his friends, the hostel staff broke open the door,” said Palliwal, adding that no suicide note was recovered.
A forensic science laboratory (FSL) team was called and his parents were informed.
“We are investigating if there were any behavioural changes in the victim in the last few days. We are also probing whether there was any deterioration in his performance or attendance in the coaching centre,” Palliwal added.
Kota is the hub of India’s test-prep industry, estimated to be worth ₹10,000 crore annually, according to district administration officials.
Students from across the country flock to Kota after completing Class X to enrol in residential test-prep institutes. They also join schools, most of which serve primarily for certification purposes.
Students attend classes solely at these test-prep institutes, which prepare them for their Class XII exams and, more importantly, for entrance exams such as National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) and JEE. Many students find the intense pressure overwhelming, particularly as they are away from their families.
According to police data, 15 students died by suicide in Kota in 2022, 18 in 2019, 20 in 2018, seven in 2017, 17 in 2016, and 18 in 2015. No suicides were reported in 2020 and 2021 as coaching institutes were shut or ran in online mode due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Amid a rise in student suicides last year, the district administration issued an order on August 18, requiring all hostels and paying guest (PG) accommodations to install spring-loaded fans in rooms “to provide students with mental support and security.” This guideline does not apply to apartments.
On September 28, the Rajasthan government introduced several measures to prevent suicides among students, including mandatory screening tests, alphabetical sorting of students into sections instead of ranking-based sorting, and admission only for students in Class IX or higher.
On January 16, the union education minister released specific guidelines for coaching centres, limiting enrolment to students over 16 and imposing a ₹1,00,000 fine for violations.
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Building on these guidelines, the Rajasthan government drafted the Coaching Centre (Control and Regulation) Bill 2024 in July, proposing a two-tier system to monitor coaching institutes, mandatory registration with the district administration, limits on study hours (5 hours per day), and a ban on scheduling classes during school hours to prevent ‘dummy schools.’ The bill also includes a ₹1,00,000 penalty for violations.
However, the bill faces opposition from coaching institutes, with at least 25 submitting objections in September. They have threatened to challenge the bill in the high court if it is passed.
In response, Arushi Malik, secretary of the higher education department, said, “We have considered the coaching centres’ feedback and they will submit their objections in writing. We are reviewing the bill’s provisions, but it was designed in line with union ministry guidelines to promote both academic growth and students’ mental health.”
If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist.
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