A recent report from the IC3 Institute reveals that India is responsible for one out of every nine student suicides globally, exposing a serious and growing mental-health and academic-pressure challenge in the country. 

The report states that India recorded over 1 lakh student suicides between 2013 and 2022, a rise of 64 per cent compared to the previous decade, the Financial Express reports.

Experts say that the crisis is not merely about examinations or marks — but rather, the burden of expectations and lack of support faced by students.

“Students today face immense pressure, be it academic performance, parental expectations or social comparison, yet few feel truly seen or supported,” says Ganesh Kohli, founder of the IC3 Movement. 

The report also highlights a major lack of counselling and mental health resources in many schools and colleges. 

According to the IC3 Student Quest Report, 40 per cent of Indian students have never spoken with a counsellor, a minor improvement from 52 per cent recorded the year before.

The solution to this, according to Kohli, is simple — more guidance for students. 

“(Students) not just struggling with studies, but also with emotions, changing friendships, identity, and uncertainty about the future,” he says. “They want clarity, connection, and confidence, and that comes when guidance is part of school life, not outside it,” he told Financial Express.