NHRC takes suo motu cognizance of suicides at Navodaya Vidyalayas

New Delhi, Jan 1: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that 49 students of residential Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, committed suicide at campus between 2013 and 2017. NHRC has sent a notice to the Ministry of Human Resource Development based on media report.

An investigation by The Indian Express revealed that Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs), the central government's pace-setting residential schools for talented rural children, have had close to 50 suicides on campus in just five years.

Of the 49 suicides witnessed from 2013 to 2017, half were by Dalit and tribal students, and a majority of them were boys, records obtained by The Indian Express under the Right To Information (RTI) Act show.

Half of the children who killed themselves on the campuses were Dalits and Adivasis, and a majority of them where boys, the RTI reply received by Indian Express said. "...all, except seven, were suicides by hanging, and the bodies were discovered either by classmates or members of the school staff," the newspaper reported.

Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs), formed in 1985-86, are known for the high scores their students get in board examinations.