Student Suicides Rise In India; Daily Wage Earners Hit Hardest: Report

India has seen a troubling increase in student suicides, rising by 4.2 percent from 2021 to 2022, according to a report by the non-profit IC3 titled "Student Suicides: An Epidemic Sweeping India".

In 2022, there were 13,044 reported student suicides, slightly down from 13,089 in 2021.

Despite this small decrease, the overall suicide rate, including both students and the general population, rose sharply by 4.2 percent, from 164,033 in 2021 to 170,924 in 2022.

The report identifies Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Madhya Pradesh as the states with the highest number of student suicides, making up one-third of the national total.

Southern states and union territories together account for 29% of these cases. Rajasthan, known for its high-pressure academic environment, ranks 10th, underscoring the intense stress linked to coaching centres like Kota.

While student suicides have exceeded those of farmers, they are not the highest—daily wage earners top the list.

The report, based on NCRB data from police FIRs, notes that student suicides are likely underreported due to social stigma and the criminalisation of attempted and assisted suicide under Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code.