The Supreme Court has made a major comment while hearing a petition. Supreme Court (Supreme Court) He said that it is not fair to blame coaching institutes for the increasing suicide of students in Rajasthan’s Kota as parental expectations are also forcing children to end their lives. In its important remarks, the court said that intense competition among children preparing for competitive exams and pressure from their parents is the reason behind the increasing cases of suicide.
Demand for legislation, refusal to consider application
A bench headed by Justice Sanjeev Khanna refused to consider a plea seeking legislation to regulate private coaching institutes in Kota and fix minimum standards for them. The Supreme Court said that the problem lies with the parents, not the coaching institutes.
Suicide is not caused by coaching institutes
Around 24 students have committed suicide in Kota this year. Also, taking note of the fact that institutes offering engineering and medical coaching to students have proliferated in Kota, the bench said – suicides of students are not happening because of coaching institutes. On the bench, Justice S.V.N (Justice SVN Bhatti) were also involved.
Children cannot live up to expectations
The Supreme Court said that suicides are happening in Kota because children cannot live up to the expectations of their parents. The Supreme Court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Mumbai-based doctor Anirudh Narayan Malpani. The petition accused the coaching institute of using children as a ‘commodity’ and putting them to death for selfish gain.
There is no law for coaching institutes
The petition filed by advocate Mohini Priya said that while the suicide in Kota has made headlines, such incidents are common for private coaching institutes. There is no law holding them accountable. The petition stated that the petitioner was compelled to come to the court as many students have committed suicide in recent years due to lack of monitoring.
Parents have many expectations from children
The bench said – Most of us do not like coaching institutes. Nowadays exams have become so competitive and parents have so many expectations from their children that children cannot live up to it. Children fail by half or one mark in competitive exams.
Cannot direct the Center to make laws
The court suggested the petitioner to approach the Rajasthan High Court as the incidents of suicide cited in the petition are mostly related to quota or submit to the central government as we cannot direct the center to legislate on the issue. After this Advocate Mohini Priya sought permission to withdraw the application that the petitioner wanted to present. The court allowed the withdrawal of the application.
Suicide of students is alarming
The petition said that the suicide of the students is very alarming from the human rights point of view. Despite the rising incidents of student suicides, the Centre’s lax attitude towards legislation shows the government’s indifference towards the safety of the youth, who are the future of the country. Under Article 21, the youth have a constitutional right to live with dignity.
Rajasthan government introduced the bill
The Rajasthan government recently introduced the Rajasthan Coaching Institutes (Control and Regulation) Bill, 2023 and the Rajasthan Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority Bill, 2023 as measures to control and regulate the functioning of private coaching institutes, but has yet to introduce these bills. becomes law. These bills included monitoring of study material required by coaching institutes.
Coaching organizations turned into markets
The petition states that the coaching institute industry has now become a market where students are cheated and preyed upon. It has become an industry that focuses more on its own profits than the well-being of students. Children in the age group of 14-16 years are suddenly exposed to such a competitive environment that their ability to withstand pressure is compromised.