National task force appointed to prevent campus suicides; caste discrimination, ragging identified as key causes

The Supreme Court's observation that the frequent suicides of students in higher educational institutions in the country should be stopped is welcome. Every suicide that takes place in higher educational institutions shakes the entire country. Caste-based discrimination and the sense of inferiority caused by it are the main reasons for suicide. The competition that takes place among students who gain admission to higher institutions through cut-throat competition is often unbearable for ordinary children. Whether on campus or in the hostel, they constantly face discrimination. Young minds fall for this.

Most of the suicides of children take place in IITs, IIMs and central university campuses. The indifferent approach followed by the authorities responsible for listening to children if they have any problems and finding a solution often leads children to the brink of suicide. Groups that isolate classmates and harm them as much as they can are often found in all colleges. Today, all Malayalis know about the torture faced by a boy named Siddharth at the Pookode Veterinary University in Kerala. When it became intolerable, he chose suicide as a way out. The student body, teachers, hostel warden, and even the government itself parted with the side of the attackers. That is why Siddharth's parents are still wandering for justice.

The Supreme Court's appointment of a ten-member National Task Force yesterday to study the problems that push students to take their own lives in higher educational institutions and suggest solutions can be considered a beneficial new step. In addition to caste discrimination, the court has found that cruel harassment, ragging, sexual harassment, and study load are also reasons that lead to suicide. The task force, headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Ravindra Bhat, has been asked to submit an interim report within four months. The Supreme Court's intervention in forming the task force came in a case related to the suicide of two students belonging to the Scheduled Caste at IIT Delhi. The two-judge bench opined that this negative trend can be stopped on campuses only through strong measures.

Years ago, the suicide of Rohith Vemula, a research student at the Central University of Hyderabad, became a cause of nationwide protests and discussions. Even after this incident, students have committed suicide in many higher institutions for various reasons. The main reasons for suicide are caste discrimination and issues related to ragging on campuses. How the appointed National Task Force can deal with these issues can only be known once the report is released. The mindset of the children entering higher educational institutions needs to change first. They need to be prepared accordingly. The education and culture for this should be imparted to them from the lower classes. Special emphasis should be given to this issue in educational reforms.