India has the highest number of youth suicides globally. While road accidents are the leading cause of death among young people worldwide, suicide is the top cause in India.
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported that in 2021, students took their own lives at a rate of over 13,000, averaging more than 35 daily. This staggering statistic means that in India, a student commits suicide roughly every 40 minutes.
Unprecedented Surge in Student Suicides Grips India
Student Suicides Surpassing Population and Overall Suicidal Patterns. Student suicides are showing a troubling increase, outpacing both population growth and overall suicide trends. Over the past decade, the population of individuals aged 0-24 decreased slightly, from 582 million to 581 million. Meanwhile, student suicides rose sharply, growing from 7,696 to 13,089. Student Suicide Rate is alarming.
the ‘Student suicides: An epidemic sweeping India’ report was released on August 28, at the Annual IC3 Conference and Expo 2024. The report highlights that, while overall suicides increased by 2% annually, student suicides surged by 4%. This rise occurred despite the likely “underreporting” of student suicide cases.
Regional Disparities Reveal Concentrated Cases in Certain States
Maharashtra reported the highest number of student suicides, with 1,834 cases. It was followed by Madhya Pradesh with 1,308, Tamil Nadu with 1,246, Karnataka with 855, and Odisha with 834. These five states together account for 46% of all student suicides in India.
In contrast, Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state, recorded a much lower percentage of student suicides, making up only 5.3% of the national total. This is notable because Uttar Pradesh has 17.3% of the country’s population.
Student Suicides Surpass Farmer Suicides
In 2021, student suicides made up 8% of all suicides, up from 5.6% in the previous seven years. During this period, student suicides rose by 62%, while farmer suicides fell by 12%. In 2021, India recorded 13,089 student suicides and 10,881 farmer suicides.
COVID Effect: Sharp Drop in Suicide Deaths Linked to Exam Failures
Suicide deaths among individuals under 30 saw a significant drop during the COVID years. From 2019 to 2020, there was a 25% decline, and from 2020 to 2021, the decrease was 21%. This reduction is likely due to the cancellation of high-stakes exams during the pandemic.
In contrast, from 2015 to 2019, there was no notable increase in suicide deaths among this age group related to exam failures. Student Suicide Rate.
