Rajasthan education minister cites 'love affair' as a cause of student suicides in Kota

KOTA: Rajasthan education minister Madan Dilawar on Saturday cited "love affair" as a cause of student suicides in the coaching hub of Kota, even as he urged parents to be attentive and not mount pressure on their children to study.

Four students in Kota have died by suicide this year. The city, a prominent hub for coaching institutes, witnessed 17 such cases in 2024. Dilawar, who also holds the Panchayati Raj portfolio, was speaking to reporters after a programme during which SVAMITVA cards for land ownership were issued to beneficiaries in Bundi. Asked about student suicides in Kota , the minister said he wanted to urge the parents that they needed to be cautious and should not mount pressure regarding studies on their children.

Parents need to be attentive: Dilawar

"I would honestly like to urge, though my words may annoy some people, that the parents need to be attentive and careful and they should not mount pressure on their kids," Dilawar said. Every student has their own interest and they sink into depression when forced to pursue a goal in a field contrary to their interest and fail, he said. Coaching institutes may have little role in it but friends play a crucial part with their frequent remarks on student ranks, he added.

'Love affairs' behind students' suicides: Dilawar

In some cases, there are "love affairs" and the students commit suicide due to that, the minister noted. The parents need to be attentive about their children's movements and routines. However, they are actually not so careful and when control is lost, the students tend to stray in the wrong direction, Dilawar noted.