Stress and Suicide in Coaching Students in Kota: An Overview

In India, medical and engineering have always been the preferred professions with significant social repute as well leading to inclination of choice of parents for their child’s carrier. The knowledge that many aspirants achieved high ranks and admission in top institutes due to their coaching in Kota greatly appeals to parents and students. Therefore, Kota has emerged as a hub of coaching for medical and engineering aspirant students. Students begin their coaching journey as early as the 6th standard, with the number significantly increasing by the 9th standard and beyond. The majorities of students are in the 11th and 12th standards, dropouts, and range in age from 16 to 19 years. Every year 1.5 to 2 lakhs of students from all over India and a few neighboring countries take admissions in coaching institutes of Kota. Challenges Faced by Coaching Students The majority of students coming to Kota have never experienced living away from home. Most are required to live independently, often in hostels shared with unfamiliar peers. This new environment initially leads to feelings of loneliness and isolation. Living in Kota is the first experience of living in different conditions away from home and family settings, necessitating a number of adjustments, such as living on one’s own, managing a fixed budget, handling laundry and food, etc. Coaching centers have monotony of academics and lack the supportive factors of school, such as regular holistic feedback on the student’s strengths and weaknesses, social skills development, and exposure to co-curricular activities. Students are enrolled in coaching institutes without assessing their ability and interest. After enrolling in coaching, some students discover that they are not suitable for the science stream, yet their parents compel them to persevere. Returning to home and school between sessions imagined as social embarrassment and financial waste by parents and students. Alternative career guidance is also lacking of, and parents often discourage their children for it until they have made at least a few attempts. Factors Contributing to Student’s Distress and Suicide Over the past few years, several students attempted suicide, and approximately 25 students per year have tragically taken their own lives, highlighting a critical mental health concern. The immense academic pressure and limited possibility of selection, which pushes students to perform exceptionally well to secure admission to top institutions, is a major factor. The rigorous study schedule of coaching, which often exceeds 12 hours a day to cover the vast and difficult syllabus, frequent assessment test and a few holidays, leaves little time for relaxation or leisure activities. It is difficult for students to manage time to follow the different schedules. Display of the test ranks and segregation of students for top and general batches on the basis of rank secured in assessment tests are perpetuating factors of academic stress and generate exam anxiety, phobia or panic attacks. In such a highly competitive environment where students are constantly compared and ranked; little decline in test marks or rank can aggravate the stress. Academic pressure creates an imbalance in life, inadequate sleep, and poor physical health due to neglect of exercise and nutrition further exacerbates this pressure. Inappropriate adjustment with behavioral changes of adolescence and engagement in romantic relationships or love affairs deviate the track of performance. Another significant factor is the lack of emotional and peer support. Bullying by peers generate feelings of poor self-esteem. Students often face stress, anxiety, and depression on their own. Some students resort to negative coping mechanisms such as alcohol and drug abuse, online gaming, and antisocial activities, which can lead to their derailment. Additionally, most students are staying in small-sized, single-seated rooms without family members, resulting in isolation from family and friends, which can lead to feelings of loneliness and disconnection. Difficulty in adjusting and homesickness can negatively impact test marks or ranks. Feelings of isolation and low performance in tests can result in hopelessness and despair. Lastly, societal expectations and parental pressure also play a significant role. Parents often invest heavily in their children’s education, expecting exceptional results. This pressure to meet parental expectations can become overwhelming, leading students to feel trapped, nervous, and irritable. These factors culminate in a perfect storm, making students in Kota increasingly vulnerable to feeling helplessness, worthlessness, self-harm, and suicidal tendencies. To address this problem, mental health resources and qualified counselors are limited in Kota, and their access is not known to most of the students. Furthermore, the stigma surrounding mental health issues prevents students from seeking help. Fear of judgment and labeling as “weak” or “unstable” keeps students from opening up about their struggles. Steps Taken Above factors are summarized in a report mentioned in “guidelines for minimizing stress and improvement in mental health of coaching students” issued by Education Department (Group-4), Rajasthan Government dated 27.09.2023 in continuation to previous dated 13.06.2018, 31.10.2018 and 11.11.2022 in compliance of directions ordered by honorable Rajasthan High Court in PIL no 99/2016. Ministry of Education, Government of India also issued guidelines for regulation of coaching centers dated 16.01.2024.To comply these guidelines and directions, a District level Committee has been formed at Kota including District administration, Police, Psychiatrist, representatives of Coaching Institutes and Hostels that had several meetings and taken following steps- Verbal cues like expressing hopelessness, helplessness, or talking about death or dying are red flags of suicide require immediate attention. Suicide warning signs can be subtle and missed by contact persons. “Gatekeeper training” program aimed to teach individuals to identify and support people at risk of suicide continuously arranged at Kota. Till now, approximately 10,000 coaching staff, hostel managers, and wardens have received gatekeeper training to identify early warning signs of suicide and foster open communication with students. This extensive training program empowers these key individuals to recognize symptoms, provide emotional support, and connect vulnerable students with vital resources, promoting a safe and supportive environment. Behavioral changes are important indicators prior to suicide, so “Behavioral Change Communication” training was arranged by author for coaching teachers, mentors, and receptionists to serve as vigilant observers. They are taught to more vigilant on students with previous suicide attempts, family history, or recent traumatic events like failure in romantic relationship or death of dear person and more alert just before and after exam as well as result. These trained staff members are supposed to monitor students displaying concerning patterns, including prolonged absences of seven days or more, consecutive declines in academic performance over two or more tests, changes in eating habits such as avoiding the hostel mess, and social withdrawal by staying isolated in hostels. Several preventive steps also included in government guideline as no admission till 10th standard and before 16 years of age to restrict admission of immature students in coaching centres, screening test before admission to identify the capability, after admission no display of test rank, no batch shuffling and easy exit refund of proportionate fee to the students who want to discontinue coaching in between the session. To address the growing concerns of student mental health, the government has rolled out several initiatives. Coaching institutes directed to establishment of wellness center having 24x7 hours services of counselor and psychologist. National Mental Health Program has launched the TeleMANAS helpline, accessible at 14416 or 1800-891-4416, offers toll-free support. In Kota, the district administration has launched an e-complaint portal specifically for coaching students, ensuring timely disposal of grievances. Other government directions to coaching institutes to minimize stress in students includes mentoring program, weekly co-curricular activities, weekly off, no test to next day, alternative carrier counselling and periodic parent teacher meetings. For hostels, it is mandatory to fit anti-hanging device in ceiling fan of every room as hanging is found most common mode of suicide in coaching students and display of help line numbers. Government has also issued code of conduct to be followed by coaching institutes for better adjusting environment. Recommendations for Future Implementation of above steps decreased the suicide rate to half this year. So some other steps may be taken in future to improve the situation- Students should be taught social-emotional competence and healthy coping skills. Assertive training to deal with bullying and substance use. Training of psychological first aid to police personnel, since they are frequently the first responders in a crisis. Parents should be educated about the negative effects of parental pressure, mental health, and alternative career options. Mentoring role should be extended beyond academics. Multi-tiered assessment to identify students under stress, comprising: Initial Screening by a universal assessment of all students utilizing a validated screening tool. Diagnostic Evaluation: Students exceeding the predetermined cut-off score on screening tool should undergo in-depth diagnostic assessments. Severity-Based Referral: Students meeting diagnostic criteria be referred to either counselling services for supportive interventions or psychiatric evaluation and treatment, as warranted. These measures aim to create a supportive environment, encouraging students to prioritize their mental health. By providing accessible resources and fostering open communication, we can work together to mitigate student distress and suicide. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.