Indian Children and Suicide
by Something is seriously wrong and the matter must be addressed…
Indian Children and Suicide
It is quite amazing that in last six days 10 school going kids have committed suicides in India. Most of the cases were recorded in Maharashtra.The new year has seen two Mumbai schoolchildren barely in their teens commit suicide. Why these kids took such an extreme step is unknown but some say that it is the pressure from their elders and teachers at school that made them decide against life.
Neha Sawant, 11, was found hanging by a shawl inside her house on January 2, 2010. Neha was an “amazing” dancer, who had participated in three TV dance reality shows, including Boogie Woogie. She was a part of a dance academy, through which she had performed in group dances and competitions. A few months ago, Neha’s parents pulled her out of the academy as the extracurricular activity was affecting her studies. Police believe this may have been a cause for Neha to take the extreme step.
In the second incident, a Std VII student hanged himself in the washroom of Shardashram school in Dadar on January 4, 2010. Preliminary investigation suggested that he killed himself as he was poor at studies and felt pressured because of that.
Likewise eight more incidents have been reported. In one case in Faridabad, near Delhi, a teacher mentally tortured a girl studying in 12th standard to such an extent that she could not take it any more. The chairman of the school was accused of abusing the girl physically.
What is driving schoolchildren to take such an extreme step as suicide? Is it the lack of attention? Is it parental or school pressure? Or is it the influence of films, as some activists are claiming?
There can be different reasons for different situations but one thing is undisputed that children go through a lot of mental stress in Indian schools and colleges. They insist on high marks rather than the knowledge that a student acquires. The result and the mark sheet is all that matters. Parents should realize that learning is a wonderful process and it should be conducted in lovable atmosphere. Parents must not force their children against their will.
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