Schools alarmed at rising suicides

Vasundhara Vyas / TNN / Mar 15, 2008, 00:33 IST

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There are 7823 students of Class X and 4839 students of Class XII giving the on-going CBSE exams. However, none of the students taking exams under the CBSE have committed suicide.

AHMEDABAD: The growing number of suicides in the state is raising an alarm among parents and school authorities.
Three students of Class XII have already committed suicides in three days of the exams having started. In less than three months, 15 students of Class X and Class XII committed suicide across the state.
Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) has taken steps to bring itself on a par with Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) during the last three years.They have adopted a CBSE-style of setting up the question papers.
Apparently, there are 7823 students of Class X and 4839 students of Class XII giving the on-going CBSE exams. However, none of the students taking exams under the CBSE have committed suicide.

Experts believe CBSE exams are spread over a month, which gives students enough time to relax and revise completely, even during the exams. But, the GSHSEB is finishing with the main papers within a week.
A senior member of the GSHSEB, said,"The CBSE has much fewer examinees that too in urban areas. In our state, the mentality of our people is such that they believe, the sooner exams are over, the better."
The chairman of the GSHSEB, RK Pathak said,"Up to now, we have never received any complaint to

increase the duration of the exams. I feel, finishing the exams soon will relieve the students of the exam stress sooner. But, we have never conducted a survey or asked the schools or parents."
The reasons for suicide attempts could be many. The fear among parents is growing with each passing paper. Neelam Trivedi, who has taken leave from work to be with her son, while he is giving his class XII science stream exams, said,"Since last 10 days, I insist that my son does not read the newspaper. It is full of incidents like these from the state or the country. I do not want him to think, in his wildest thoughts, that ending his life is even an option. I simply tell him to keep his cool and be confident about all he has studied."
Dr Hansal Bhachech, a practising psychiatrist, said,"Since the exams have started, I have received calls from two parents whose children have refused to give their coming papers saying that they have to compete with the students who cheat and will get good marks." He said "This is a typical intra-exam phenomenon, where students start getting frustrated about the system and attitude of parents and the questions they were not able to attempt during the exam."

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