Age bar, refunds likely steps to stem Kota student suicides

A top Rajasthan government committee is set to recommend barring students younger than class 8 from taking admission in coaching institutes in Kota, allowing pupils to claim refund from institutions if they drop out, and implementing training modules for teachers and hostel owners, as part of a slew of recommendations aimed at fighting the spate of suicides that has rocked India's test-preparation hub this year, HT has learnt.

- Senjuti Sengupta, Sachin Saini

The 15-member panel headed by state higher education secretary Bhawani Detha was set up by the Rajasthan government on August 17 against the backdrop of mounting outrage over student suicides in Kota that has touched 24 this year, the highest since data started being compiled in 2015.

The committee - which also comprised collectors of a few nearby districts and Kota's assistant police superintendent - met stakeholders such as coaching institute owners, hostel authorities, psychiatrists and police officials.

It is set to submit its report which is likely to form the basis of a new policy that will be tabled in the next session of the Rajasthan assembly - to the government on Monday.

The committee is likely to recommended limiting the age of admission of students in coaching centres to class 8 (around 13 to 14 years of age), said an official familiar with the matter.

The committee will also likely suggest an "easy exit and refund policy" for students of coaching institutes if they want to leave the centre in the middle of the course, said the official.

Over the years, many experts have pointed out the extreme mental pressure on students who struggle to cope with the competitive coaching environment but cannot go back home because their families have spent considerable sums in funding their education.