There is a very common perception in our country that students commit suicide due to increasing pressure in academics. Though there have been several attempts to reduce the pressures of education, students are still taking the extreme step to end their lives.
If sources are to be believed, every hour, one student commits suicide in India. According to a Lancert report, India has one of the world’s highest suicide rates for youth age 15 to 29. We have come across youngsters finding it difficult to cope with personal problems, failure in exams and careers.
One needs to realise that there is always a life after failure and without even realising that, youths take an infamous decision to end their lives.
In yet another shocking incident, a 20-year-old student of Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT-H) committed suicide in the wee hours of Tuesday, which is the third incident of suicide at the institute this year.
Siddharth Pichikala, who is a third-year B-Tech student of computer science took an extreme step by jumping off the third floor of the hostel building at around 3.26 am.
Pichikala was rushed to a private hospital where he was declared ‘dead’ by the doctors. His body has been shifted to Gandhi Hospital for an autopsy.
It has been learnt that minutes before the tragedy took place, Siddharth Pichikala had sent an email to his friends, which mentioned that he is unable to concentrate on academics, pushing him to a stage of depression and which is why he had take this extreme step.
“There is a critic within me questioning my every move to the extent that I feel I shouldn’t exist. I shouldn’t exist because I am a self-obsessed guy. I was brought up that way, being compared with my peers all the time,” read the suicide note.
Upon enquiry, police added that the deceased was depressed over his recent performance in academics over the last two months. At the same time, he was scared of his future, they added.
“Life rather seems depressing. Never-ending strands of misfortune to an extent that I mentally couldn’t tolerate it. I have no clue how my future is going to be. I have been feeling this for the past two months,” said the email.
After a complaint from the management, a case has been registered under Section 174 of the CrPC.
“IIT Hyderabad faculty, staff and students extend their deepest condolences to the family, friends and other near and dear ones of the deceased student. This is indeed an irreparable loss to the institute and the family.” a statement from the institute said.