Children Suicidal Tendencies in India

 

Children Suicidal Tendencies in India

Every hour one student commits suicide in India, with about 28 such suicides reported every day, according to data compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

23rd July 2020, from a long time, I was feeling frustrated reading the COVID 19 news. So, I decided, today I will avoid reading about the COVID 19. As usual, I read the newspaper and got depressed after reading because I read three children suicide cases in Pune in a day due to reasons hard to digest. I started thinking that Children are the future of India and if children are taking steps like suicide, then where we will see our self after 10 or 15 years.

 I was having a lot on my mind like what is the reason for this situation. How do they dare to hang themselves? Who is responsible?

How parents face that pathetic situation when they see their child committed suicide?

 Meanwhile, I started to research more information about the Children’s suicidal ration in India.

 Every hour one student commits suicide in India, with about 28 such suicides reported every day, according to data compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

 The Government of India classifies a death as suicide if it meets the following three criteria.

●      It is an unnatural death,

●      The intent to die originated within the person,

●      There is a reason for the person to end his or her life. The reason may have been specified in a suicide note or unspecified.

If one of these criteria is not met, the death may be classified as death because of illness, murder or in another statistical.

 India, the world’s second-most populous country of over 1 billion, has one of the highest suicide rates among those aged 15 to 29 and accounts for over a third of global suicides among women each year. Academic stress is a major reason for suicides among both female and male students in India, and the pressure continues beyond college. Stories of successful students securing high salaries make the headlines and play a significant role in parents pushing their children to earn the same.

 It is common to see students stressed, anxious and under pressure in a society that believes in keeping students in check by pushing them beyond their limits toward higher achievements. Young high school students are forced to enroll in coaching factories, where they cram for exams to get into prestigious schools like the IIT. Student’s draconian rules and study schedules that leave them feeling depleted and depressed.

 With all these pointers I started collecting analytical data and I am shocked after getting these numbers.

Analysis 2007 to 2018 - India
Years	No of Children  Suicide cases in India
2007	6248
2008	6060
2009	6761
2010	7379
2011	7696
2012	6654
2013	8423
2014	8068
2015	8934
2016	9474
2017	9905
2018	10159

Data: Crime Records Bureau

Analysis 1999 to 2018 - India
Years	No of Children Suicide cases in India
1999-2003	27990
2004-2008	28913
2009-2013	36913
2014-2018	46540

 

Next day, I discussed with my family members about the children suicidal cases in our society. I asked them, as per your opinion, who is responsible for this situation? After this discussion, I got a lot of aspects which varied the age groups, gender and profession. Then I decided to collect views on a mass level. I designed Google form and sent it to my contacts via social media.

 Two hundred two people from different age groups and professions gave their opinions.

43.1% Females and 56.9% Male registered their opinion on the suicidal tendencies of children in India which is the most sensitive topic of our society. 

32.2% youth (Age Group – 25 to 35) registered their opinion which are the most important aspect of this research.

·         29% people think that lack of guidance is the main reason of suicide. 

·         15% people think that Family Environment is the measure part of suicide. 

·         Social Media is responsible for the suicidal tendencies, said by 13% people.

 

Selected Opinions different than options

         1.      Non-acceptance of failure.

2.      Actually, it’s all of them... all of them are responsible but who is accountable then the answer would be parenting... ultimately they need to make their children strong but not only by being tough but they always need to check up on them if you feel even the slightest hint of depression or other issues take them to a psychiatrist. Professional help is needed.

3.      Lack of acceptance, lack of patience, social stigma And also for most of the times social media

4.      Peer Pressure

5.      There are multiple reasons, nuclear family, media hammering, lack of patience, not ready to accept no or rejection, lot of aggressiveness, peer pressure, no sharing, no close relations and so on and on and on

6.      I think the suppression of emotions and thoughts is a major reason.

7.      I think you should always stay in a positive environment, with good people around you always come up with good positive thoughts even in tough situations.

8.      Actually above the reasons are applicable. And reasons vary as per child's living

9.      All TV channels

10.  A lot of accepted from students.

11.  Lack of someone to speak with

12.  Most of the time kids don't open up to anyone closer to them. There should be some platform on which they can share what they want with keeping their identity confidential.

13.  In my opinion addiction to following trends on social media, addiction of materialistic lifestyle, daydreaming some unrealistic dreams and failing to accomplish them are the major cause of suicide.

14.  Some child is coming to school from a poor family. Parents are totally supported by their children, also expecting growth for the overall family. The first thing is a child living in parent’s burden. More studying, extra expectations increasing more marks. When the child completed their 12th then parents every time told for getting a part-time job then the child mentally arrested then he is started job for support to their Family. But he can't earnings above of 15000/- / month. Also, parents are told to child get marriage then the child is facing some issues for their Family. He mentally stresses that the time he suffering an alcoholic addiction that the time parents can't support their children hence child attempting live from their own life.

15.  I feel all above-mentioned points are responsible. Because every kid has their different reasons. But if your family atmosphere is healthy then we can stop this suicidal series. If the parents are friendly then the kid will share every problem and parents will guide them accordingly.

16.  The exactly don't know how to tackle failures, stress and competitive life. They need proper care, concern and guidance, how to deal with each of them.

17.  Teachers & Parents are mostly responsible as you're asking about students in particular.

18.  For students, I feel the one thing school is missing a Counselor. A counselor should be appointed in each school. Most of the time students are not able to speak up small issues to their parents, family or even best friends.. they need a counselor for these issues which family may think it’s a small issue, friends may laugh but only a counselor can help on this.

19.  All of them plus more! Exposure at an early age when kids have no comprehension capacity could result in such incidents. And it could vary case by case; cannot be pinpointed to generic reason/category.

20.  Student suicide cases are increasingly by addiction like that mobile phone, game and tv serials.so that parents have an understanding and friendly nature of our child.

21.  Mother father must be teased our child from childhood that life is game some players are good some players are bad. Sometimes you win sometimes you fail. You face all ups and downs. You celebrate your success and failure also. so always be positive.

22.  Actually that person is himself/herself responsible.. Because all above options could be the reason but main reason is that person can’t accept what he is going through.. And thinks how society will react on their failure... Failure could be anything.. So I think the reason is MENTAL ILLNESS.. that person just require some counseling but still in India we think psychiatrist means something else.. it’s taboo

23.  Sometimes we require self-time, that we can’t give & as per my opinion if I had such time I myself would be responsible for it.

24.  We can't decide any particular reason behind this problem although sometimes it’s our own pressure that cause suicidal case... The option u mention above is all responsible for this..... Since we can't reach to every parent, school rules, the society we need to do proper guidance to our regarding they do other n so on the chain will continue... Thanks for bringing this sensitive issue n doing surveys... If u need any kind of help... Let me know... I'll try to give my best... 

25.  I feel the major concern is lack of communication between the person who has got the suicidal tendency your and the people around them is because there is no dialogue between them the pressure keeps on building and this leads to the suicide tendency

26.  Responsibility depends on case to case basis and it's never an equation..... Every case is unique but somewhere inability to handle any situation is the key... The person needs to feel free to be able to talk about his/her issues with parents, friends, and relatives or take professional help..... Which is missing and the person himself is seen as the culprit rather than being given any assistance... Morale, emotional, financial etc….

27.  We should monitor the activities randomly, and have a conversation with him periodically and discuss on general issues so that we can come to know his behavior, which will help us in analyzing him and support him if required.

28.  There could be a number of factors for such situations. Many times the majority of the causes mentioned above can have their little contribution to creating such a situation. It cannot be standardized as vary in the case to case.

29.  Enforcing traditional practices over children without educating ourselves about the change in environment and less communication with them. Over expectations due to social media examples which very irrelevant to our background or overall potential. Confusion ineligibility of person’s right time to marry. Considering only age, financials and family relations as a criterion for marriage and in the case of highly educated couples self-assessment metrics which has a huge impact on family and traditional views

30.  As per me all of them are responsible. In today's world, we have upgraded our self in every part of the day to day activity. But there is no upgrade in the educational system. So find some way to include innovative things in the educational system like digitalization, remove unnecessary syllabus, selection of specific subjects rather than complete subjects.

31.  Suicidal tendency arises because they are afraid to talk to their loved ones. If they believe their loved ones will listen to them and understand the situation, suicides could be prevented.

32.  According to my opinion, the lack of communication is very important. The child needs to feel safe to communicate with his parents about anything that comes to his mind.

33.  All of it...it's the pressure the society creates by making predefined notions of how to act

34.  Actually hard to categorize in one point. A lot of points combine to demotivate a student to live. There may be reasons related to peer pressure, addiction, family environment, not accepting failures etc.

35.  1) No training to face negativity in the life, 2) Reservation system in the education field, 3) Only virtual friends, lack of communication

 Thanks to all my dear friends and family members for contribute your opinions for very sensitive topic of Indian societies.

Special thanks to my role model Mr. Avi Tiwari for his valuable guidance.

And I salute to Professor Suresh Madane for his precious pointers and valuable contribution in documentation of Suicidal tendencies among children in India.  

                                                                                            -Shrutika Prathamesh Mungi