The Crossbill News Desk
India recorded 1,23,918 student suicides between 2014 and 2024, according to data compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), highlighting the growing mental health crisis among young people facing academic, familial and social pressures.
The latest figures from the Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI) report show that student suicides rose by nearly 80%, from 8,068 cases in 2014 to 14,488 in 2024, the most recent year for which data is available.
Maharashtra recorded the highest number of such deaths at around 17,000 during the 11-year period, followed by Uttar Pradesh with approximately 10,000 cases.
In 2024 alone, 2,032 student suicides were linked to examination failure, accounting for 14% of the total 14,488 student suicides reported that year.
The data also points to a sharp geographical concentration of student suicides. Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu together consistently accounted for around half of the student suicides recorded nationwide.“Family problems” has been identified as the leading cause of suicide, followed by “failure in examination”.
The trend has also been associated with major coaching and education hubs, including Kota, Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune, where students face intense academic competition and pressure.
The findings come amid protests by students and young people in several parts of the country, particularly in Delhi, over alleged irregularities surrounding major examinations, including the NEET paper leak and the controversy over CBSE Class 12 results.
Protesters have been demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The demonstrations were spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party, a satirical political movement that emerged following a comment made by the Chief Justice of India.
In response to the growing concerns around student mental health, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) launched the National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS) in 2022, with the goal of reducing the country's suicide mortality rate by 10% by 2030.
The Ministry of Education has also been running the Manodarpan initiative, a psychosocial support programme for students launched in July 2020.
Per a report by The Hindu, the Ministry of Education has told parliament during the ongoing session that its Manodarpan helpline, launched in July 2020 with the intention of provide psychosocial support to students, has received “more than 3.32 lakh calls from different regions as of March 2026”.
The latest NCRB figures have renewed concerns over the mounting academic and psychological pressures confronting students across India.
With protests over examination irregularities continuing alongside growing reports of student suicides, the data has intensified calls for stronger institutional support, greater accountability in the examination system and sustained measures to protect the mental well-being of young people.
The latest figures from the Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI) report show that student suicides rose by nearly 80%, from 8,068 cases in 2014 to 14,488 in 2024, the most recent year for which data is available.
Maharashtra recorded the highest number of such deaths at around 17,000 during the 11-year period, followed by Uttar Pradesh with approximately 10,000 cases.
In 2024 alone, 2,032 student suicides were linked to examination failure, accounting for 14% of the total 14,488 student suicides reported that year.
The data also points to a sharp geographical concentration of student suicides. Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu together consistently accounted for around half of the student suicides recorded nationwide.“Family problems” has been identified as the leading cause of suicide, followed by “failure in examination”.
The trend has also been associated with major coaching and education hubs, including Kota, Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune, where students face intense academic competition and pressure.
The findings come amid protests by students and young people in several parts of the country, particularly in Delhi, over alleged irregularities surrounding major examinations, including the NEET paper leak and the controversy over CBSE Class 12 results.
Protesters have been demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The demonstrations were spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party, a satirical political movement that emerged following a comment made by the Chief Justice of India.
In response to the growing concerns around student mental health, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) launched the National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS) in 2022, with the goal of reducing the country's suicide mortality rate by 10% by 2030.
The Ministry of Education has also been running the Manodarpan initiative, a psychosocial support programme for students launched in July 2020.
Per a report by The Hindu, the Ministry of Education has told parliament during the ongoing session that its Manodarpan helpline, launched in July 2020 with the intention of provide psychosocial support to students, has received “more than 3.32 lakh calls from different regions as of March 2026”.
The latest NCRB figures have renewed concerns over the mounting academic and psychological pressures confronting students across India.
With protests over examination irregularities continuing alongside growing reports of student suicides, the data has intensified calls for stronger institutional support, greater accountability in the examination system and sustained measures to protect the mental well-being of young people.
Comments (0)
Leave a Comment