Over the last five and a half years, at least 25 students have died by suicide after they were subjected to ragging, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has revealed.
In reply to a Right To Information (RTI) query filed by RTI activist Chandrashekhar Gaur, the UGC said that these complaints were registered with the central body between January 1, 2018 to August 1, 2023.
Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have reported four deaths each followed by Odisha with three deaths. Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana have reported two deaths each. One death has been reported from Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Punjab.
Of the four cases of suicide in T.N., three were reported from Chennai — two from the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras and one from Jayagovind Harigopal Agarwal Agarsen College. The fourth suicide was reported from the Government Medical College in Thoothukudi district.
In Maharashtra, there were two incidents from IIT-Bombay and two each from Topiwala National Medical College and MGM Medical College.
Of the 25 cases, eight were reported in 2018, two in 2019, two in 2020, four in 2022 and nine in 2023.
UGC Chairman Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar told The Hindu that UGC maintains a dedicated 24x7 anti-ragging helpline for students. “The UGC anti-ragging cell serves as a bridge between the students and educational authorities. Reports and complaints received through the helpline are escalated to appropriate authorities for timely action,” Mr. Kumar said.
Mr. Kumar said that UGC gets information from the helpline on the type of assistance requested by students, such as those related to distress calls. Mr. Kumar refrained from specifying the number but said, “We do get a large number of calls from across the country.”
He further said the UGC takes up cases when they are reported by the media or when it receives complaints.
Mr. Kumar said that it is very unfortunate that most cases are reported from engineering or medical colleges. “Universities must create avenues for students to talk freely about their feelings. Such students need support and understanding and should be encouraged to seek professional help at the university’s counselling centre,” he said.
“The issue of student suicides is a complex and multifaceted challenge. UGC regulations on curbing the menace of ragging in higher educational institutions provide clear guidelines and mandates all institutions to prevent ragging and help students avoid taking extreme steps,” he said.
Students, teachers, and parents must be educated about mental health, stress management, and identifying signs of distress. “We should de-stigmatise and encourage students to seek mental health support,” he added.
