NHRC notice to Rajasthan govt over student suicides in Kota

In a statement, the Commission has said that there is a need to regulate private coaching institutes and devise a long-term plan to adequately address the issue of psychological and behavioural abnormalities of students undergoing coaching in private institutes there

New Delhi, Dec 15: Following the reports of three students committing suicide in Kota, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has served notices to the Rajasthan government, Union Secretary of Higher Education and the Chairperson of the National Medical Commission (NMC).

The apex human rights body took cognizance of the incident following media reports which said that the students of a coaching centre committed suicide in two separate incidents within 12 hours. In a statement, NHRC said that there is a need to regulate private coaching institutes.

According to the statement, the students were preparing for competitive exams. The incident has brought attention back to the punishing pressure that teenagers face at private institutes in the city because there are only a limited number of seats available for those wishing to pursue technical and medical education.

The Commission has stated that the contents of the media story, if genuine, constitute a "grave concern" of human rights. Kota has been a hotspot of private coaching centres for National Entrance Eligibility Test (NEET) aspirants over the years.

The statement further said, "They are charging a very hefty amount. Students, from across the country, are staying in hostels/paid guest houses with a high expectation of success. This is putting them under a lot of pressure." Embed https://www.financialexpress.com/education-2/kota-suicides-nhrc-sends-notice-to-rajasthan-govt-union-secretary-of-higher-education-nmc-chief/2913900/

The Commission stated that it believes there is a need to develop a regulatory system, and because higher education regulation is a State responsibility, the burden of such a mechanism will rest on the State, in consultation with the Central government.

In its notices, the NHRC has sought reports from the Chief Secretary of Rajasthan, Union Secretary of Higher Education and the NMC Chairperson on the incident. In light of the high number of student suicides recorded, it must also detail the actions taken or planned to be done by the state regarding the regulatory framework to oversee the private coaching schools, the NHRC stated in the statement.

Furthermore, it must include the formulation of a long-term plan to adequately address the issue of psychological and behavioural abnormalities of students undergoing coaching in various private institutes in Kota, including the parents, so that they do not feel lonely or under huge pressure of expectation from family members and friends, it added.

According to the statement, the Union Secretary of Higher Education is expected to inform about the formulation of the National Action Plan for a proportional increase in seats in technical and medical education, as well as the mechanism to get rid of the rat race of getting admission in private coaching centres to achieve success in competitive examinations like JEE and NEET.

The NMC Chairperson is expected to inform about the launch of some progressive and student-friendly mechanisms for achieving NEET success without being subjected to enormous mental and psychological pressure while undergoing coaching in private institutions, according to the statement.

Two of the deceased, according to the media report that was published on December 13, were from Bihar while the third one was from Madhya Pradesh. According to the statement, all three of the students were enrolled in coaching sessions for the NEET, a test for medical institutions.

A thorough report is likely to be submitted by the Chief Secretary of Rajasthan, according to the media report.