Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 16 (IANS) Student suicides in Kerala have increased by nearly 50 per cent over the past decade, raising fresh alarm over the mental health of schoolchildren.

Data presented in the State Assembly show that Kerala reported 39,962 suicides between January 2021 and March 2025. The toll climbed steadily from 6,227 in 2021 to 10,994 in 2023.

Though not all of these deaths involved students, the trend reflects a nationwide crisis. NCRB figures reveal that 13,044 students died by suicide across India in 2022, almost unchanged from the previous year.

In Kerala, certain districts are particularly affected. Kozhikode alone recorded 53 student suicides in the 2022-23 academic year. Psychologists stress that many of these tragedies could have been averted with timely counseling and effective school-based support.

The case of 14-year-old Ashirnanda, a Class IX student from Sreekrishnapuram in Palakkad, highlights the human toll behind the statistics. Reportedly ridiculed repeatedly by teachers, she took her life at home, leaving behind unfinished drawings and a fresh school record book. Her parents, Prashanth and Sajitha, continue to seek justice.

“She was a bright child with dreams. But the humiliation she suffered broke her spirit,” her father said.

In response to the crisis, the Kerala government has announced a programme to train 3,000 teachers as mental health counselors, enabling schools to provide frontline support. Education Minister V. Sivankutty said the initiative aims to help teachers identify early signs of distress, offer basic counseling, and connect students to professional services when necessary.

Experts link the rise to mounting academic and social pressures, fragile family environments, and the inability to address the evolving psychological needs of young people.

However, experts caution that most schools still lack professional counselors, and existing programmes are hampered by weak coordination and poor referral systems.

Child rights activists also stress the need for accountability in cases of harassment. “Justice for victims like Ashirnanda is essential, but equally important is building safeguards so no child feels abandoned or humiliated,” said one activist.

–IANS

sg/skp