Intense competition and pressure of parents on their wards preparing for
competitive exams are the main reasons for the rising number of suicides across
the country, said the Supreme Court on Monday.
Hearing a plea that sought regulation of the mushrooming coaching
institutes and cited the data on student suicides, a Bench of justices Sanjiv
Khanna and SVN Bhatti, however, expressed helplessness and said the judiciary
cannot pass directions in such a scenario.
“These are not easy things. Pressure from parents is behind all these
incidents. More than the children, it is the parents who are putting pressure
on them. How can the court pass directions in such a scenario,” the Bench told
advocate Mohini Priya, appearing for the petitioner – Mumbai-based doctor
Aniruddha Narayan Malpani.
Justice Khanna said, “Although, most of us will not want any coaching
institute to be there, but look at the conditions of schools. There is intense
competition and students have no other option but to go to these coaching
institutes.”
Referring to the 2020 data of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB),
Priya said it highlights that around 8.2 per cent of students in the country
die by suicide.
The Bench said it knows about the situation but the court can’t pass
directions and suggested that the petitioner instead approach the government
with his suggestions.
Priya sought to withdraw the plea to approach the appropriate forum,
which the court allowed.
The plea filed by Malpani through Priya said it seeks appropriate
directions for regulating the conduct of “profit-hungry private coaching
institutes mushrooming across India which provide coaching for various
competitive entrance examinations such as IIT-JEE (Indian Institute of
Technology Joint Entrance Examination) and NEET (National Eligibility cum
Entrance Test)”.
It said the petitioner has been constrained to approach the court as
several students have committed suicides in recent years “facilitated by the
absolute lack of regulation and oversight by the Respondents (Centre and State
governments)”.
“Children as young as 14 years enter these coaching factories often away
from their homes and undergo rigorous preparation in the anticipation of
getting admission to a good medical or engineering college.
“After being in a protected home environment, the child is suddenly
exposed to the harsh competitive world without being mentally equipped to do
so. These profit-hungry coaching institutes, however, do not care about student
well-being and are only focussed on minting money leading to the youth of India
being pressurised enough to take their own lives,” the petition said.
It said children are being made to live and study in these coaching
factories in subpar and abnormal conditions which are severely affecting their
mental health.
“What is most dangerous about mental health is that it is invisible,
unlike other ailments in our body. However, just like other physical ailments,
mental health problems too are triggered by extrinsic forces, surrounding
environment and pressures,” it said.
The plea said student suicides were a grave human rights concern.
“The lackadaisical attitude of the Centre in enacting a law despite the
rising number of suicides clearly reflects upon the State’s apathy towards
protecting these young minds who are the future of our country and their
constitutional right to live with dignity guaranteed under Article 21,” the
plea alleged.
PTI
