Life took an unpleasant turn the moment Abhinav D (name changed) joined IIT Kanpur. A topper throughout school, the 18-year-old suddenly found himself struggling to cope in a class full of students equally bright or even sharper.
Before long, he found himself spiralling into depression. A long stint of counselling later, Abhinav is faring better in his studies and is an enthusiastic participant in campus activities. Many others aren't as fortunate as Abhinav.
This year, seven students have taken their lives across the country's premier technological institutes, an unsettling new high. While 5,857 student suicides were reported across India in 2006, the figure jumped to 7,379 in 2010, according to data released by the National Crime Records Bureau recently.
Only the best and the brightest make it through the country's leading educational institutes. But this is just the beginning of the battle.
Fierce competition and the burden of expectation - a great job and salary are seen as natural corollaries - have been taking their toll on young students.
The issues range from family pressure, adjustment and relationship problems, placements and fear of failure. The good news, however, is, institutes are stepping in to provide support.
Before long, he found himself spiralling into depression. A long stint of counselling later, Abhinav is faring better in his studies and is an enthusiastic participant in campus activities. Many others aren't as fortunate as Abhinav.
This year, seven students have taken their lives across the country's premier technological institutes, an unsettling new high. While 5,857 student suicides were reported across India in 2006, the figure jumped to 7,379 in 2010, according to data released by the National Crime Records Bureau recently.
Only the best and the brightest make it through the country's leading educational institutes. But this is just the beginning of the battle.
Fierce competition and the burden of expectation - a great job and salary are seen as natural corollaries - have been taking their toll on young students.
The issues range from family pressure, adjustment and relationship problems, placements and fear of failure. The good news, however, is, institutes are stepping in to provide support.
From counselling cells to student and faculty mentorship programmes, extracurricular activities, changes in curriculum, rescheduling of classes or even giving students the option of switching to slow-track programmes, every effort is being made to ease their burden. IITs, IIM devise ways to deal with stress among students
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