The government does not have any data regarding the number of suicide cases of students due to competitive exams like the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams, the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday, December 13.
In a written reply, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, "Education being a concurrent list subject, educational institutions are managed by both central and state governments. The majority of the educational Institutions in the country fall in the purview of the state/UT Government."
The minister further said, "The data regarding the number of suicide cases of students due to competitive exams/entrance exams are not maintained by the Ministry of Education."
The minister said, "The government accords highest importance to each incident of student suicide." He went on to add that to address the issue of suicide, the government takes preventive measures and provides psychological support to students, teachers and families for mental and emotional well-being to avoid incidences of suicide.
It was on November 30 that a NEET aspirant from Rajasthan's Kota allegedly died by suicide. On November 27, West Bengal resident Faureed Hussain, who was preparing for NEET in Kota, had allegedly died by suicide.
In November, two suicides had already taken place in Kota and six students died by suicide in August.
Cumulatively, there have been 26 suicides so far.
