I have a Solution that will reduce pressure on IIT aspirants but do not know how to get this across to HRD Minister of India. Suggestions are welcome. - Ram Krishnaswamy

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Thursday, March 29, 2018

10 days to IIT JEE Mains 2018: Super 30 founder Anand Kumar's 6 tips to crack the exam - -Zee News


When this teacher from Patna, whose efforts have been acknowledged by former US President Barack Obama and Time magazine, is giving you advice on the exam, it is time take to note.


 By Ipsita Sarkar | Updated: Mar 28, 2018, 17:54 PM IST


With just 10 days to go for Joint Entrance Exam - Main (JEE Mains) 2018 exam, there's not much preparation one can try to do at this stage. Instead, focus on securing the cut-off marks of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) first rather than trying to solve the entire paper, says Anand Kumar of Super 30 IIT coaching fame. When this teacher from Patna, whose efforts have been acknowledged by former US President Barack Obama and Time magazine, is giving you advice on the exam, it is time take to note.

In an exclusive interview with Zee News, Kumar presents five tips for the IIT students: 

1. There's not much time left to thoroughly prepare for IIT exams. So, one should focus on readymade formulas, important tips and points.

2. With exam date nearing, take as many tests as possible. Take mock tests similar to the IIT paper...nothing else.

3. When just two days remain for the test to be conducted, quit studying. Just revise the subject little bit. 

4. Before walking in for the examination, be prepared for the fact that the question paper will be tough. IITs have a tendency to set the question that seems tough initially. So don't be scared. Remember, every candidate has received the same paper and are all finding it equally difficult. Don't be nervous.

5.Once you get the question paper, go through all the entire question paper of all the three subjects - Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. At first, attempt the easiest question. Then proceed to solve the entire paper, with next levels of difficulty. This strategy helps in raising the student's confidence. 

6. Keep in mind that you need to clear the expected IIT cut-off. Focus on the first one-third goal -- making it to IIT, so begin with solving smaller questions. When you focus on the entire paper together, on solving 100% of the paper -- from the beginning to the end -- you'll hit roadblocks. This is when the candidate realises that the exam is difficult. Again, remember that the paper is tough for everyone; everyone is struggling. And if it's easy, it'll be easy for everyone.

Anand's message to Parents

Speaking on the increasing number of suicides among students preparing for IITs at coaching institutes, Kumar, in a message to parents, said, "I think coaching centres are parents responsible for this. On one side coaching centres are putting pressure on students, who do not have that sort of talent. All children are talented but not all have that kind of talent (to crack IIT exam). But for the greed of money, they are forcefully trying to make them engineers or doctors. Parents too are putting pressure on the children, saying: 'Why are you not able to learn? We've even sold the last plot of land for you.' Give children the freedom to study what they want; the mother and the father, instead of putting pressure on children, should inspire them."


JEE Main 2018 is a three-hour test held in computer-based and pen and paper-based modes. A total of 90 questions are asked from three subjects. JEE Main Offline exam will be held on April 8 while the online exam will be held on April 15 and 16.

Why is suicide in youngsters is rising?


India ranks 43rd in descending order of rates of suicide committed by the youth.


Suicide in children is rising - Image credit - Public Domain | Pixabay

Author
(Curated by Jane Flowers India)

If you look at any newspaper, you come across news related to political, science and technology items. In-between the lines you may have seen a large portion of the news recently covered with the rising rate of suicide committed by juveniles.

#India has world's largest population. The statics released by the WHO (World Health Organization) shows that India has the worlds highest Rate of Suicides among youth aged 15 to 29. There is about one suicide occurring every 40 seconds across the globe. In India every hour a juvenile commits suicide. The statics may distress you that India ranks 43rd in descending order of rates of suicide committed by the youth.
The question that keeps on hitting our minds, is why juveniles commit suicide in India?

Family and peer pressure
Family and peers which have always proven to be the backbone of any person's life, pull him/her from dark the days. Sometimes though, it also becomes the one that pushes the young mind into darkness or into depression. In India, it’s not acceptable for any family to agree that his/her child is going through some mental illness.

In any Indian family, they always relate their child’s failure or success to others. This sometimes triggers the child suicidal tendencies. He does this so that he can rescue his family from shame. Some surveys suggest that in India the rise of youth suicide is a result of the breakdown of traditional large family support system. In joint families, people have so many people around so that he can share his emotions, his feelings with others.

As we move to nuclear families, we leave the family strength far behind.

In joint families, elders scold the young ones for wrong doing so that young one doesn’t get into depression easily but now the young ones find it difficult to mingle with others. One of the big problems is the dominance of Indian parents in a child's life.

Many dreams are just broken by their loved ones. In KOTA, many #students just committed suicide after their IIT exam as they don’t want to become engineers. No matter if you become a writer, poet, journalist, filmmaker, chef, doctor or a homemaker, every profession needs practice and a hardworking soul.

Communication gap
We all pass through the time where we feel loneliness, hopelessness, and experienced failed love. Emotional weakness and institutional pressure happened to everyone at one time but what pulls us from all this is the communication we had with our loved ones. It helps people a lot to fight their way back from depression.

Good communication is what you needed to heal, In old age, our grannies used to tell us moral stories just to inculcate the goodness in our lives.

If the young ones have good communication with the elders it becomes so helpful for them. There is also a 24-hour helpline that offers counseling, and track callers suffering from depression. These are available thanks to the government and some NGO’s.

Fear of getting failed
The survey shows that one of the reasons behind juvenile suicide is fear of getting failed. Getting success or failure is a part of life. To become successful one has to pass through many failures. Like the night is incomplete without the moon, the same goes for success being incomplete without failure.
There is no solid reason that drives the youth to commit suicide. Over 16,000 students committed suicide in the last three years. This is a wakeup call for all the teachers and parents to build up a healthy relationship with their children. Parents need to understand that no matter what career your child chooses if his/her interest is on that, no one can stop them.

The students also boost up their confidence levels f they understand that getting failed is not the last option in life. If every great person thought so then there would be no Sachin Tendulkar, Satyajit Ray, Imraan Khan or Arundhati Roy. Before committing suicide, one must think that by doing this, he is just passing the pain to others.

“The bravest thing I ever did was continuing my life when I wanted to die." -Juliette Lewis



Friday, March 23, 2018

IIT-Roorkee providing stress counselling for students - Hindustan Times

IIT-Roorkee providing stress counselling for students

Keeping in view two suicide incidents in Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee in the past few months, the IIT management is providing online and direct counselling to the studentsDEHRADUN Updated: Mar 21, 2018 21:39 IST


Sandeep Rawat
Hindustan Times, Haridwar


Efforts are being made to provide stress related counselling to all the students of IIT Roorkee.(HT File)
Keeping in view two suicide incidents in Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee in the past few months, the IIT management is providing online and direct counselling to the students.

The online counselling cell comprises consultants, psychologists and academic experts to guide and help resolve the issues of the students.

Last week, a B.Tech third year student, Abhijeet Singh, committed suicide in his hostel room.

Prior to that, in August last year, a science post graduate student Aman Chauhan, resident of Agra, who had been battling depression for a few months, committed suicide in the hostel.

A month later, another B.Tech first year student, Rithik Saini, went missing from IIT hostel and was later traced in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh. He went into depression after the suicide of Aman Chauhan, who used to live in the adjacent hostel block.

Few years ago, an M.Tech student, Tanaji Rao Biradare, had also committed suicide in IIT hostel, who in his suicide note had written that he let his parents down as they wanted him to become a doctor.

Stress, especially studies and peer pressure, has come to light, as the major reasons for these suicidal attempts.

Named ‘Your Friend’, the counselling facility arranged by IIT is available round the clock to the students, where experts share and try to solve their problems. Through interaction, the experts try to figure out, guide and sort out the problems that lead to stress and depression among students.

According to the dean of student’s welfare, professor Anand Joshi, any student in stress, tension, dilemma or doubt can consult this online counselling, which already has become popular among students.

He added that efforts are being made to provide stress related counselling to all the students.

Apart from this online counselling, a direct counselling cell has also been put in place, which tries to solve and guide students suffering from depression.

So far, general problems associated with students coming for counselling, are related to academics, low self confidence, emotional stress, peer pressure, family issues, financial problems, decision regarding career, homesickness, drug-tobacco-alcohol addiction, loneliness, anxiety and time management.

Monday, March 19, 2018

IIT Roorkee Student Kills Self, Police Suspect Role Of Blue Whale Challenge


Abhijeet Singh Vansia's death has led to the speculation that he may have committed suicide as part of the banned online game Blue Whale Challenge

A 21-year-old student of IIT Roorkee was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his hostel room on March 15. Abhijeet Singh Vansia’s death has led to the speculation that he may have committed suicide as part of the banned online game Blue Whale Challenge.

After questioning other students, police said that they have come to know that many students in the college are addicted to these deadly online games and that may have prompted Abhijit to take the extreme step.

According to Times of India, police did not find any suicide note and were scrambling for clues as Abhijit was described as a good student by his teachers and did not appear to be under stress. Abhijit did not have any financial or family issues either, the police added.

Inspector Sadhna Tyagi, who’s investigating the case said:
“One of the students has told us that many in the hostel were addicted to playing suicide games online. He also mentioned a game called ’30 ways of suicide.”

The Blue Whale game caught attention after a teenage boy from Mumbai, suspected to be one of the gamer, jumped off the building.

In the game, the participants are given a series of task to complete daily for a period of 50 days, which ends with their death.

According to Indian Express, The notorious online game has allegedly pushed three teenagers into committing suicide in India while two were rescued before they could take the extreme step.

The number of suicides across Russia and the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan where the game is in rage is reported to be over 130


Sunday, March 18, 2018




Maharashtra has been witnessing the highest number of student suicides. 

Newsclick Report 17 Mar 2018


Newsclick Image by Nitesh Kumar

The same day that yet another student — at IIT Roorkee — committed suicide , the Rajya Sabha was informed on 14 March that nearly 26,500 students had committed suicide in India from 2014 to 2016.

Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir put forward this information responding to a written question by Rajya Sabha MP from Tamil Nadu, M Kanimozhi.

The MP had asked if it was a fact that “on an average, at least one student is committing suicide every hour in the country”, if the government was aware of high suicide rates and what steps were being taken to prevent it.

In his answer, Ahir quoted data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The data shows that suicides among students have been increasing every year. While 8,068 students had committed suicide in 2014, the number increased to 8,934 in 2015 and to 9,474 in 2016, the last year for which such data is available.

Maharashtra witnessed the highest number of suicides by students in all three years. In 2016, a total of 1,350 students ended their lives in Maharashtra. In the same year, West Bengal witnessed the second highest number of student suicides (1,147), followed by Tamil Nadu (981) and Madhya Pradesh (838).

In 2015, Maharashtra had 1,230 student suicides. Tamil Nadu followed with 955 students killing themselves, followed by Chhattisgarh with 730 student suicides and West Bengal with 676 suicides by students. In 2014, Maharashtra saw 1,191 student suicides.

Suicides among students are typically attributed to depression, academic pressure, family expectations, inability to cope with stress, social isolation and substance abuse. Institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are infamous for suicides by students.

Often, the social and structural problems leading students to feel hopeless are ignored — such as economic problems and caste-based discrimination. 

In January 2016, the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula at the University of Hyderabad had galvanised the country’s attention to the institutional discrimination faced by students based on their caste in India’s higher education system.

In September 2017, a 17-year-old Dalit student named S Anitha, who was a medical aspirant and had done well in the Class 12 board exams of Tamil Nadu, killed herself after failing to secure admission through the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET). Anitha was a petitioner in the Supreme Court against the implementation of the NEET for admissions to medical courses in Tamil Nadu.

In February 2018, a 14-year-old Dalit girl student of Class 9 committed suicide in Telangana. She left a suicide note saying she had not been allowed to write her exam. Why? Because her family had been unable to pay the fees. 

Ignoring these aspects, Ahir said the government had “approved implementation of the District Mental Health Programme in selected districts of the country with added components of suicide prevention services, work place stress management, life skills training and counseling in schools and colleges.”

He added that since health was a ‘state subject’, states were empowered to implement their own programmes as well. Indeed, investment in mental health is indispensable for the well-being of people, and especially for young people who are being driven to suicide, and India spends a mere 0.06% of its already paltry health budget on mental health, lesser than even what Bangladesh spends (0.44%).

However, it does not all boil down to mental health, the factors leading to the suicidal mental state need to be understood and addressed as well.


IIT-Roorkee student found dead in hostel room - Scroll.In

Mar 16, 2018 · 07:57 pm



IIT-Roorkee student found dead in hostel room
A police official said that many students were fond of playing an online suicide game.

A 21-year-old student of the Indian Institute of Technology-Roorkee was found dead in his hostel room on Wednesday evening, The Indian Express reported on Thursday. Abhijeet Singh Bansiya was found hanging from a ceiling fan, the police said.

Roorkee’s Civil Lines police station house officer Sadhna Tyagi said that Bansiya could have been suffering from depression. “The students of the college said that he did not engage much with others,” she said.

The Times of India quoted Tyagi as saying that many students in the hostel were “addicted to an online suicide game”. “One of the students mentioned a game called 30 ways of suicide,” she said.

No suicide note has been found in the deceased’s room. The institute’s dean of students’ welfare, Professor Anand Joshi, reportedly declined to reply to queries from the The Times of India on the incident.

Bansiya’s family reached the hostel on Thursday to take his body to their home in Gujarat, The Indian Express said.

We welcome your comments at letters@scroll.in.

Saturday, March 17, 2018

Student commits suicide at IIT-Roorkee - Indian Express


While no suicide note was found in the third year student's hostel room, Station House Officer of Roorkee's Civil Lines police station, Sadhna Tyagi, said that the preliminary enquiry suggests that Bansiya could have been grappling with depression.

 Bansiya’s family reached the college on Thursday to take the body back to home in Gujarat. (Representational Image)By: Express News Service | Dehradun | Updated: March 15, 2018 9:33 pm

A 21-year-old engineering student committed suicide by allegedly hanging himself from a ceiling fan in a room at IIT-Roorkee’s boys hostel on Wednesday evening, police said.

The deceased student has been identifies as Abhijeet Singh Bansiya. While no suicide note was found in the third year student’s hostel room, Station House Officer of Roorkee’s Civil Lines police station– Sadhna Tyagi– said that the preliminary enquiry suggests that Bansiya could have been grappling with depression.

“The students of the college said that he (Bansiya) didn’t engage much with other students… he could have been under depression,” Tyagi said.

While the college authorities didn’t respond to calls from The Indian Express, Tyagi said, “Each year, atleast one or two cases of suicide are reported from IIT-Roorkee.”


Bansiya’s family reached the college on Thursday to take the body back to home in Gujarat.

IIT-Roorkee student commits suicide - TNN

TNN | Updated: Mar 15, 2018, 13:31 IST

DEHRADUN/ROORKEE: A 21-year-old student of IIT-Roorkee committed suicide in his hostel room by hanging himself from the ceiling fan on Wednesday.

Circle officer Roorkee, Swapn Kishore Singh, said, “The deceased has been identified as Abhijit Singh Bansiya, a third year BTech student from Surat, Gujarat. The family members have been informed about the incident and they are on the way to Roorkee.” 

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He added that the reason behind the suicide is yet to be ascertained. “We will talk to the staff, students and family members to know what prompted the student to take the extreme step,” he said.

Dean (students welfare), Anand Joshi, said, “We cannot comment on the reason behind the death now, police are carrying out investigation.”

Abhijit’s friends said that he was seen last time around 2pm on Wednesday.


Saturday, March 10, 2018

Class-12 boy’s suicide in Mohali: A life lost over nine marks - Hindustan Times


Class-12 boy’s suicide in Mohali: A life lost over nine marks
Karanvir had secured 90% marks in the pre-boards and aimed to perform better in the annual examination.PUNJAB Updated: Mar 09, 2018 17:34 IST

Shub Karman Dhaliwal
Hindustan Times, Mohali

Karanvir, a resident of Phase 6 in Mohali, who appeared for the exam as a private candidate was a bright student.

“I am sorry as I could not live up to your expectations and for not being able to fulfil your dreams. I love my grandparents the most and please do take good care of them,” said Karanvir Singh, 18, in the suicide note he left behind before hanging himself from a ceiling fan after his Class-12 physics exam on Wednesday.

The boy was upset as he was not able to attempt three questions of three marks each in the board exam.

ADVISORY FOR PARENTS
Talk to your child about their preparation but don’t press them too much

Help them in maintaining their daily routine
Make sure the child eats healthy food
Encourage them to sleep for at least 7 hours every day
Let them know that you will support them unconditionally

“On our way back from the examination centre, I asked Karan about his performance. When he said he left some questions, I told him that he should practise writing faster,’ said his crying father, Arvider Singh, regret writ large on his face.

READ MORE: Two teenage girls commit suicide by jumping off the eighth floor in Hyderabad

Karanvir, a resident of Phase 6 in Mohali who appeared for the exam as a private candidate, was not only a bright student but a caring son too. He had promised to make name for his family through his hard work.

“I wish I had told him that marks don’t matter to us. The only thing that mattered was seeing his smiling face every morning,” said the father.

Karanvir had secured 90% marks in the pre-boards and aimed to perform better in the annual examination.

“He used to study at our house because he felt his house was too noisy,” said Hardev Singh, 75, Karanvir’s maternal grandfather who stays in Phase 4. He had raised the boy till the age of 5 and had returned to India from Canada five months back. It was in his house that the boy committed suicide.

A few days ago, after the English exam, Karanvir had returned home in a cheerful mood and told his parents that he had performed very well. But after the physics exam, he seemed stressed, said the father.

“I am sorry I could not live up to your expectations and fulfil your dream.”— Karanvir Singh, in his suicide note

Karanvir also talked to some friends and cousins who are in the same class. Some of them told him that they were expecting good marks.

“We told him to forget about the exam and focus on the next one to which he agreed. He took tea before entering the room to study and also asked my mother to go for a walk and bring some stuff from the market,” said Hardev Singh’s son Amritpal Singh.

After his grandparents left, Karanvir hanged himself from a fan ceiling after writing a suicide note.

“He wanted to clear the IIT entrance exam and pursue computer science engineering. He was also looking forward to move abroad for further studies,” said the grandfather.

Friday, March 2, 2018

Coaching student from Nagaland commits suicide in Kota -


Abhishek Morya, a native of Rang Pahad in Army Cant area in Nagaland, was staying at Phalodi Hostel in Rajeev Gandhi Nagar of Kota.

 Staff Writer | February 28, 2018 | Last Updated:

February 28, 2018 7:44 pm


Jaipur: A 17-year-old coaching student from Nagaland, identified as Abhishek Maurya committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling of his hostel room in Rajeev Gandhi Nagar in Kota on Wednesday. He was preparing for IIT-JEE, according to the police. It was yet unclear whether he left a suicide note or not. It is the sixth case of suicide by a coaching student in Kota.

According to the police, Abhishek, a native of Rang Pahad in Army Cant area in Nagaland, was staying at Phalodi Hostel in Rajeev Gandhi Nagar of Kota.

Other hostel mates found his room bolted from inside on Wednesday morning. They informed the warden. He was later found hanging from the ceiling. The police were immediately informed.

A team from Jawahar Nagar police station rushed to the spot and sent the body for a postmortem examination.

ASI Laxman Narayan said that Abhishek’s father Veer Bahadur has been informed about the suicide. The family members are on their way to Kota. The postmortem examination will be conducted in their presence.

The police have launched an investigation as to what caused Abhishek to take the extreme step.

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Sanskrit invocation song; Union minister seeks to steer clear - India Today

Sanskrit invocation song; Union minister seeks to steer clear

  • February 27, 2018
  • UPDATED 21:50 IST
Ramanathapuram (TN) Feb 27 (PTI) Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan today sought to steer clear of the controversy over rendering of a Sanskrit invocation song at an event attended by two union ministers at IIT Madras, saying he had arrived late for the function and left before it was over. "The Vinayakar stotram had been sung at IIT Madras at the function.I was under the impression that Tamil Thai Vazthu was sung. But I was not aware of it as I arrived late for the function and left before it was over," he told reporters here. Rendering of Maha Ganapathim Manasa Smarami at the event yesterday had triggered a controversy with several opposition parties led by DMK questioning why the Tamil anthem was not sung. The song, penned by late composer Muthuswami Dikshithar, was sung at the start of the foundation stone laying ceremony of National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways and Coasts, to be set up along with IIT Madras. 

The union minister charged that a group was conspiring against Tamils by wearing the "Tamizhan(tamil race) mask" and also against the development of Kanyakumari. Replying to a question, he said the government wished to operate a ferry service between Talaimannar in Sri Lanka and Rameswaram. 

On the suicide of a 24-year old post graduate medical student hailing from Tamil Nadu at Chandigarh yesterday, he alleged that some persons were trying to divert the main issue by stating that he had taken the extreme step due to his inability to speak the local language. 

"Some persons are trying to divert the main issue by making such remarks. Only after a thorough investigation will the truth be known," he said. 

Dr Krishna Prasath R, doing his PG course at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling of his hostel room. He was a junior resident in the Department of Radio diagnosis and Imaging, at PGIMER, and hailed from Rameswaram in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu. PTI COR SSN APR



Documentary director strives to find key, stop suicide by farmers -



TNN | Updated: Feb 27, 2018, 08:04 IST

CHENNAI: Filmmaker Anshul Sinha is on a mission that's as ambitious as his film on it: zero farmer suicides. Having made 41 films, several of them award-winning, Sinha's latest is 'Mitti - Back to Roots', is a docudrama that highlights 27 major issues perpetuating the problem, with focus on the farmer suicide belts of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Punjab. 
"During our one year of research, we practically learnt agricultural science and farming from the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture (CSA), Hyderabad and also under the mentorship of Rythu Swarajya Vedika that works towards creating sustainable agricultural communities in Andhra Pradesh," says Sinha.

The film includes real interviews of farmers and their families, highlighting the issues they face. Sinha has made the film with expert opinion from G V Ramanjaneyulu, executive director of CSA. Crowdfunded with help from Australia, Korea, US and India, the film has had nine screenings in the US and 25 road shows in India. According to Sinha, following the film's screening, the residents of PBEL City in Hyderabad have decided to buy produce from the organic farmers of Enabavi in Jangaon, also India's first organic village. Also, New Jersey-based I4Farmers has decided to adopt one farming village from Telangana featured in the film. 

"Among the many observations we have made through the film are the unviability of organic seeds and how BT seeds have also been leaving them with severely low output and financial loss. Cotton farmers are among the worst affected," says Sinha. "As part of the solutions, we talk about the multiple cropping model, pricing policy, and the climatic condition suited for every crop," he adds.

Documentary on agrarian crisis to be screened at IIT-Madras - TNN


M T Saju | TNN | Feb 26, 2018, 21:11 IST

CHENNAI: “Mitti - Back to the Roots,” a documentary on agrarian crisis in India, will be screened at the IIT-Madras at 5:30pm on Tuesday (Feb 27).

Directed by Anshul Sinha, the 90-minute-long documentary highlights 27 major issues of agrarian crisis in India. It shows how a young agriculture scientist saves a village from being sold.

Ekta, a young agricultural scientist, finds out of her research that there are several harmful chemicals in the food and vegetables daily consumed and does her part to break this poisonous cycle. She finds the major reasons behind the agrarian crisis and farmer suicides happening in the country. 

This project is a result of a one-year of research on the reasons behind the suicides of the farmers in the country, said Anshul Sinha, who headed the team under the mentorship of Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Hyderabad, founded by G V Ramanjaneyulu, an agricultural scientist.

“The project portrays 25 major issues of agrarian crisis which are the main reasons behind the suicides of three lakh farmers in India. The film aims at saving every farmer from giving up farming and their life,” he said.