With two girl students attempting suicide in the last two weeks and many others reporting a similar tendency on the campus of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technology (IIIT-Nuzvid) in Krishna district, the officials are banking on counselling to help students overcome ‘pressure’.
Since 2014, six students have ended their lives on the campus, while several other students have attempted suicide reportedly owing to ‘psychological depression’.
In 2017 alone, four students took their lives, prompting the university authorities to constitute an exclusive team to deal with suicidal tendencies among students. The eight-member team functions under the Student Affairs Dean on the campus, keeping an eye on the students struggling with emotional issues at various levels.
Teenage love
“Nearly 50 students with suicidal tendencies have been counselled in the academic year 2018-19. A majority of them were girls who reportedly struggled with the consequences of ‘teenage love’, family problems and academic pressure,” says Student Affairs Dean Ms. Nagarjuna Devi, talking to The Hindu .
“The number of girls on the campus struggling with the issues of ‘teenage love’ has been alarming in recent years. In many cases, the parents of the students concerned are being called for counselling,” adds Ms. Nagarjuna Devi.
“We have reports that those experiencing suicidal tendencies initially reject food and breakdown frequently, and such candidates are being counselled immediately,” she explains.
New environment
Lecturer Mr. Venugopal, who provides first stage counselling to students, opines that a majority of first year students struggle to adjust themselves in the new academic environment, which is completely different from their previous academic experience.
The Nuzvid campus is home for 7,500 students, including those from IIIT Srikakulam.
The students were reportedly under ‘psychological depression’ due to various reasons, escalating the tension among the university authorities to prevent such incidents.
