Kota: In response to the alarming increase in suicides among coaching students in Kota, the local district administration has devised a strategy to conduct psychological assessments of these students on a biweekly basis.
The initiative is aimed at identifying signs of suicidal tendencies among students promptly, enabling the provision of timely counseling and support.
The decision to introduce these psychological tests was formulated during a district-level meeting, involving representatives from coaching institutes, hostels, and other relevant stakeholders. The meeting was convened to evaluate the implementation of the established guidelines for coaching institutes and hostels.
Kota District Collector, OP Bunkar, said, "We are going to conduct psychological tests every fortnight of every coaching student, whether he is in a coaching institute, a hostel, or PG." He added that the primary objective of these assessments is to gauge the psychological well-being of students. If any issues are identified, experts will offer counseling services to address them.
To further reinforce this approach, Kota City Superintendent of Police, Sharad Choudhary, proposed the establishment of a parents' delegation. Comprising parents whose children are studying in Kota, this delegation would maintain communication with the district administration concerning their children's well-being. This step intends to foster parental involvement in the efforts to curb student suicides.
Bunkar also directed officials to ensure strict adherence to the established guidelines for coaching institutes, hostels, and PG accommodations. He underscored the importance of outfitting rooms in hostels and PGs with security devices to prevent instances of hanging-related deaths. He also mandated a mandatory day off every Sunday in coaching institutes, devoid of any examinations.
Kota, which has long been recognised as a prominent coaching hub, has reported a distressing tally of 19 student suicides this year alone. This statistic includes three tragic cases in the first ten days of this month, highlighting the urgency of the situation.