@piercingharmony | First published: 19 November 2016, 13:17 IST
As many as 66.5% respondents to an IIT Kanpur survey feel that parental pressure is a major factor behind suicides of students who study at Kota coaching classes. About 51.9% feel that students take the drastic action due to stress, followed by 38.7% respondents who believe poor academic performance is the chief reason.
Drugs, narcotics, broken relationships were also other contributing factors. About 20% survey respondents personally knew someone who had committed suicide in Kota.
This was reported in the recent findings of `Kota Juggernaut Survey', conducted by the institute's campus newspaper - Vox Populi, which documented responses of about 212 undergraduate candidates, who studied at Kota before joining IIT Kanpur.
"The estimated success rate in Kota maybe 10% against the national average of 3%, but still it is a very small number, which parents need to understand rather than harbouring false hopes of assured 'success' once they admit their wards to coaching institutions," stated an article 'IITK Survey: The Kota Juggernaut'.
About 59% respondents admitted to higher stress levels in Kota coaching institutes than at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur. The survey also stated that 50% institute students, who took coaching classes at Kota institutes before joining IIT Kanpur, felt worn out by the stress experienced at Kota. The survey also stated that nearly 75% respondents felt that said Kota faculty were better at teaching than IIT Kanpur faculty, while 94% respondents feel that coaching institute teachers are better than school teachers.
According to Mayank Sharma, a student of the freshman batch (Y16), "The stress levels are almost equal. In Kota, academics is the sole contributing factor to stress, coupled with financial difficulties for some families. Over here, apart from academics, we also have to take time out for extracurriculars and other engagements."
