72 student suicide deaths reported in last five years: Odisha CM

Bhubaneswar: At least 72 student suicide incidents have been reported in various government, private schools and colleges across the state since 2020, said Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in Odisha Assembly on Monday.

Majhi divulged the information on Monday while answering a question asked by congress MLA Sofia Firdous regarding the number of suicide deaths and measures taken by the state government to conduct mental health awareness programmes for students.

“A total of 72 student suicide cases have been reported in Government and Private Schools and Colleges across Odisha during the year 2020 to 2025 (till 28.02.2025),” informed CM Majhi on Monday.

Majhi further narrated the major reasons identified by the authorities that are leading the gullible young students to end their lives.

The Chief Minister revealed that denial of phone usage in the school hostel, issues arising out of love affairs, and depression related to examination and love affairs as major causes forcing students to commit suicide.

Besides, the Chief Minister also stated that academic stress, homesickness and parental restriction on visiting home, domestic conflict, psychological problems, mental imbalance and harassment by fellow students, school and college authorities, etc. as other important reasons responsible for student suicides.

CM Majhi also said that the government has no information regarding measures taken or proposed to conduct mental health awareness programmes for students and train teaching staff to identify and support students showing signs of distress.

The recent suicide of a Nepali female student in the KIIT University in Bhubaneswar exposed harassment by accused fellow students and the negligence by the authorities of the educational institutions.

The students alleged that the private university did not give any heed to the repeated complaints lodged by the victim girl regarding the harassment by the accused.

Notably, the state government has recently revealed that as many as 26 students have died in the residential schools governed by the ST and SC Development Department of Odisha government since July 2024.

IANS