No data on student suicides across NEET coaching centres; NEP 2020 lays out guidelines for counselling: Government

The government has said that it does not have data on the number of student suicides across NEET coaching centres in the country. The statement was made by Minister of State for Education Subhas Sarkar in reply to questions raised by MPs Dr TR Paarivendhar and Ravneet Singh Bittu.

The two MPs had asked the government about the data on suicide cases of NEET students and if there were any proposals to frame a standard guideline to run coaching centres/ institutions across the country to save the students from forced suicide.

In his reply, Sarkar said that education is a concurrent list subject and that educational institutions are managed by both the central and state governments. He added that the majority of educational institutions in the country fall under the purview of the state/UT governments.

Sarkar also said that the government does not maintain data on the number of suicide cases of students across all educational institutions and various coaching centres, including coaching centres for NEET.

However, he said that according to the Accidental Deaths & Suicide in India (ADSI) report, 2021, published by the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), there are various causes of suicides, such as professional/career problems, sense of isolation, abuse, violence, family problems, and mental disorders.

Sarkar further said that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 lays out guidelines for counselling and mental health support for students. He added that the government is committed to the well-being of students and is taking all necessary steps to ensure their safety and security.

The statement from the government comes amid a growing concern about the increasing number of student suicides in India. In recent years, there have been several cases of students taking their own lives due to stress and pressure from studies.

The government's lack of data on student suicides across NEET coaching centres has been criticized by some experts. They argue that the government needs to collect data on this issue in order to develop effective measures to prevent student suicides.

It is important to note that suicide is a complex issue and there is no single cause. However, the government has a role to play in preventing student suicides by providing counselling and mental health support to students. The government should also take steps to reduce the stress and pressure that students face from studies.