Swift Action: Temporary Ban Imposed on Conducting Tests at Coaching Centers

KOTA: The Distressing trend of student suicides continues in Rajasthan's educational hub, Kota. The mounting pressure of academic expectations has once again claimed young lives, as two students took their own lives on Sunday. Their suicides, attributed to their anguish over poor performance in test series, have prompted swift action from authorities, including a temporary ban on conducting tests at coaching centers.

Avishkar Sambhaji Kasle (16), a resident of Latur, Maharashtra, tragically ended his life by jumping from the sixth floor of his Kota coaching institute around 3 pm on Sunday. Avishkar, who had been residing in Kota's Talwandi area for three years, was preparing for the NEET entrance examination. On the same day, Adarsh (18), hailing from Bihar, was found hanging in his room at 7 pm. Adarsh had moved to Kota four months ago to prepare for NEET and had been living with his siblings in the landmark area.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the students were grappling with the burden of consistently low marks in the coaching institute's test series. Adarsh, for instance, scored only 250 marks out of a total of 700, leading to distress and feelings of hopelessness. Although no suicide note has been discovered, it is believed that the weight of academic expectations drove the students to such drastic measures.

The tragic incidents prompted Kota Collector O.P. Bunker to take immediate action. Despite an earlier directive issued on August 12, urging coaching administrators not to conduct tests on Sundays, two student suicides occurred on the same day. Consequently, a decision was made to impose a two-month ban on coaching institutes conducting tests for students. This step aims to mitigate the undue stress faced by students due to rigorous testing routines, especially on Sundays, a common practice.