NHRC notice to Rajasthan govt over student suicides in Kota

India

oi-Nitesh Jha

In
a
statement,
the
Commission
has
said
that
there
is
a
need
to
regulate
private
coaching
institutes
and
devise
a
long-term
plan
to
adequately
address
the
issue
of
psychological
and
behavioural
abnormalities
of
students
undergoing
coaching
in
private
institutes
there

New
Delhi,
Dec
15:
Following
the
reports
of
three
students
committing
suicide
in
Kota,
the
National
Human
Rights
Commission
(NHRC)
has
served
notices
to
the
Rajasthan
government,
Union
Secretary
of
Higher
Education
and
the
Chairperson
of
the
National
Medical
Commission
(NMC).

The
apex
human
rights
body
took
cognizance
of
the
incident
following
media
reports
which
said
that
the
students
of
a
coaching
centre
committed
suicide
in
two
separate
incidents
within
12
hours.
In
a
statement,
NHRC
said
that
there
is
a
need
to
regulate
private
coaching
institutes.

According
to
the
statement,
the
students
were
preparing
for
competitive
exams.
The
incident
has
brought
attention
back
to
the
punishing
pressure
that
teenagers
face
at
private
institutes
in
the
city
because
there
are
only
a
limited
number
of
seats
available
for
those
wishing
to
pursue
technical
and
medical
education.

Girls
auctioned
for
debt
repay:
NHRC
issues
notice,
Rajasthan
govt
denies
reports

The
Commission
has
stated
that
the
contents
of
the
media
story,
if
genuine,
constitute
a
“grave
concern”
of
human
rights.
Kota
has
been
a
hotspot
of
private
coaching
centres
for
National
Entrance
Eligibility
Test
(NEET)
aspirants
over
the
years.

The
statement
further
said,
“They
are
charging
a
very
hefty
amount.
Students,
from
across
the
country,
are
staying
in
hostels/paid
guest
houses
with
a
high
expectation
of
success.
This
is
putting
them
under
a
lot
of
pressure.”
Embed
https://www.financialexpress.com/education-2/kota-suicides-nhrc-sends-notice-to-rajasthan-govt-union-secretary-of-higher-education-nmc-chief/2913900/

The
Commission
stated
that
it
believes
there
is
a
need
to
develop
a
regulatory
system,
and
because
higher
education
regulation
is
a
State
responsibility,
the
burden
of
such
a
mechanism
will
rest
on
the
State,
in
consultation
with
the
Central
government.

In
its
notices,
the
NHRC
has
sought
reports
from
the
Chief
Secretary
of
Rajasthan,
Union
Secretary
of
Higher
Education
and
the
NMC
Chairperson
on
the
incident.
In
light
of
the
high
number
of
student
suicides
recorded,
it
must
also
detail
the
actions
taken
or
planned
to
be
done
by
the
state
regarding
the
regulatory
framework
to
oversee
the
private
coaching
schools,
the
NHRC
stated
in
the
statement.

Furthermore,
it
must
include
the
formulation
of
a
long-term
plan
to
adequately
address
the
issue
of
psychological
and
behavioural
abnormalities
of
students
undergoing
coaching
in
various
private
institutes
in
Kota,
including
the
parents,
so
that
they
do
not
feel
lonely
or
under
huge
pressure
of
expectation
from
family
members
and
friends,
it
added.

According
to
the
statement,
the
Union
Secretary
of
Higher
Education
is
expected
to
inform
about
the
formulation
of
the
National
Action
Plan
for
a
proportional
increase
in
seats
in
technical
and
medical
education,
as
well
as
the
mechanism
to
get
rid
of
the
rat
race
of
getting
admission
in
private
coaching
centres
to
achieve
success
in
competitive
examinations
like
JEE
and
NEET.

TMC
files
complaint
with
NHRC
in
Gujarat
public
flogging
case

The
NMC
Chairperson
is
expected
to
inform
about
the
launch
of
some
progressive
and
student-friendly
mechanisms
for
achieving
NEET
success
without
being
subjected
to
enormous
mental
and
psychological
pressure
while
undergoing
coaching
in
private
institutions,
according
to
the
statement.

Two
of
the
deceased,
according
to
the
media
report
that
was
published
on
December
13,
were
from
Bihar
while
the
third
one
was
from
Madhya
Pradesh.
According
to
the
statement,
all
three
of
the
students
were
enrolled
in
coaching
sessions
for
the
NEET,
a
test
for
medical
institutions.

A
thorough
report
is
likely
to
be
submitted
by
the
Chief
Secretary
of
Rajasthan,
according
to
the
media
report.