The rising trend of suicides, even among IIT students, is a very serious issue. Our Education Ministers must set up fair inquiries to find the truth and take proper action to address this problem.
Educational institutions should be places where students feel safe and inspired to learn. Some students may struggle with the course content, but in such cases, they should be offered counselling and encouraged to explore other fields of interest. Students must feel comfortable even if they cannot continue in a particular discipline. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and it is important to focus on our strengths while accepting our limitations. Suicide should never be seen as an option. We need to build resilience and inner strength to face life’s difficulties. Finding one’s calling and working hard towards it is the way forward. Life can be tough at times, but that should not lead to hopelessness.
Teachers play an important role. They must guide and counsel students, helping them overcome stress and anxiety. If students are taking extreme steps because of harassment from faculty members, then such behaviour must be dealt with firmly. Harassment has no place in any institution. Schools and colleges exist to give students knowledge and confidence, not to break their spirit.
From my experience of teaching in a higher secondary school in Goa for nearly 35 years, I know that some low-calibre teachers, with poor abilities, try to act like intellectuals. Sometimes, during examinations, they deliberately target students, causing fear, anxiety, and tension. Sadly, such behaviour often goes unnoticed by principals and could also be one of the reasons behind suicidal tendencies. This aspect must be investigated.
At the same time, I wish to acknowledge the many teachers who go out of their way to support students. Their guidance and care help ease mental stress. Teachers should act as mentors and counsellors, not as enforcers.
