KOTA: Kota, Rajasthan, the training center for aspiring doctors and engineers that has been in the headlines for student suicides in recent years, saw a 38% decline in these cases in 2024 compared to the previous year, with 16 cases documented this year compared to 26 in 2023.
The district administration attributed the drop in student suicides to strict implementation of protocols and guidelines for coaching centers and hostels, and several additional initiatives to ensure a stress-free academic environment under its direct supervision this year. Among the other accredited initiatives are training of hostel wardens as per WHO protocol, SOS Help, student engagement programs like ‘Dinner with Collector’ and ‘Samwad’, and Kalika squad of police to ensure safety of the students.
Speaking to TOI on Monday, Kota district collector Dr Ravindra Goswami said, “The reduction in suicides is substantial and our efforts (to curb them) are yielding results, and we hope this trend continues.”
Goswami mentioned his personal interaction with over 25,000 coaching students throughout the year through various initiatives, providing them with career guidance and addressing their concerns.
The district administration along with training stakeholders also introduced ‘Kota Cares’ during the three days Kota Mahotsav which concluded last Wednesday. “KotaCares emphasizes that the city has provided training to over a million students across the country, significantly influencing their careers. The initiative reaffirms, through the collaboration of training alumni, that Kota maintains its standards with facilities and environment,” the district collector said.
Coaching industry stakeholders point out that Kota suffered in 2024 due to negative publicity over deaths of coaching students, despite not being among the top 30 cities in India according to NCRB suicide data. This situation, combined with the new central regulatory guidelines and the establishment of approximately 100 branches of the Kota institute across the country, has affected the annual revenue of the coaching center.
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