World Suicide Prevention Day observed
By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 11 Sep: A national conference on addressing student suicides in high-pressure coaching centres was held at NIEPVD, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, to mark the 22nd World Suicide Prevention Day here on 10 September. The conference brought together mental health experts, dignitaries, and delegates to discuss the pressing issue of student suicides in coaching hubs like Kota, often dubbed the “suicide capital of India”.
In the inaugural session, IPS officer and IG, Modernisation & Cyber of Uttarakhand Police, Dr Nilesh Anand Bharne was the Chief Guest, while Maj Gen Sanjay Sharma was the Guest of Honour. The inaugural speeches were delivered by Director, NIEPVD, Manish Verma, and Conference Director Dr Surendra Kumar Dhalwal.
In the inaugural session, scientific sessions on psychopathology, prevention, and interventions as well as panel discussions on suicide and high-risk management in youth were discussed. Dr SPK Jena emphasised on the need to regulate coaching industry to curb malpractices, citing Kota’s alarming suicide rates. Dr Dhalwal stressed on the importance of scientific goal setting and informed goal setting to mitigate the pressure cooker environment in coaching hubs. While Shashank Chaturvedi raised the issue of unrealistic expectation setting by coaching institutes as a key driver for disproportionate student suicides in Kota
A panel discussion on suicide and high-risk management in youth followed, emphasising on the urgent need for interventions in high-pressure coaching hubs.
In the Valedictory Session, Deepak Kumar Gairola, Secretary to Government of Uttarakhand, was the Chief Guest. During the session, there was a call to regulate coaching industry to curb malpractices, especially in high-pressure hubs like Kota and to promote transparency in selection statistics. Besides, a call was also made to encourage scientific goal setting and informed goal setting and support campaigns and competitions to create awareness about student mental health.
Chief Guest Deepak Kumar emphasised upon bringing regulation for the coaching industry and to include Yoga and meditation in the daily routine to bust the accumulated stress. He also stressed on the importance of Mantra chanting in the common areas of the institute to instil positive energy in the environment and to carry out scientific assessment before admission to ensure aptitude of the child for the stream in question.
