Overview

• In 2023, students accounted for 8.1% of all suicide deaths in India, as total suicides rose about 27% over the decade to 1.71 lakh.
• Student suicides accelerated by 34% between 2019 and 2023, outpacing the national rise in overall suicides.
• Maharashtra reported the most student suicides in 2023 at 2,046 (14.7%), followed by Madhya Pradesh (1,459), Uttar Pradesh (1,373) and Tamil Nadu (1,339).
• NCRB data identify failure in examinations and academic pressure as leading factors for minors, with experts also citing family and financial strain, isolation and limited access to counselling.
• Psychologists and educators call for integrated counselling, teacher training, 24/7 support and early-identification systems, with enforcement of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy and attention to under-reporting and low awareness of support in schools.