Why Students Are More Vulnerable Now

1. Academic Pressure

• Many students are under tremendous pressure to perform well, especially in highly competitive systems such as entrance exams and top colleges.
• The whole “rat race” of rankings, grades, and expected success takes a big toll emotionally.
• Even in premier institutes, students feel trapped: success becomes associated not with getting in but staying on top. 

2. Mental Health Neglect / Institutional Failure

• This is manifesting as student suicides due to the inability of educational institutions-including coaching centers-to provide adequate mental health support, according to the Supreme Court.
• Many places have inadequate numbers of counselors; there is usually no strong grievance redressal system.
• Emotional distress is not always recognized or treated.

3. Parental and Social Expectations

• There is huge pressure from parents to perform well - sometimes based on prestige, like college and career, rather than the student's own interest.
• In many cases, failing an exam or not meeting expectations is taken as personal failure and not only academic failure.
• The students also face social stigma at times regarding their mental health, and so they do not open up about their struggles.

4. Isolation & Social Pressures

• Students may feel isolated, especially if they move to a new city or stay in hostels/coaching centres.
• Peer pressure and comparison contribute to stress (“everyone is doing better than me”, “if I fail, I’ll disappoint everyone”).

5. Psychological Vulnerabilities / Depression

• Depression may be caused by persistent stress, academic failure, and repeated disappointment.
• Other studies have also found that behaviors associated with poor sleep, social withdrawal, or risky online behavior are connected with increased vulnerability.
• Bullying, whether it is online or offline, worsens the students' mental states.

6. High-Stakes Coaching Culture

• In places like Kota, India, students go for coaching to take exams like JEE or NEET, and this whole coaching system can amplify stress.
• Even the Supreme Court recognizes coaching centers as part of the problem, and therefore has issued directions for mental health safeguards.

7. Rising Suicide Rates / Alarming Trends

• Student suicides have seen a manifold rise over the years, as reported by NCRB.
• The rise is not just in number but in the proportion of suicides due to exam failure or academic stress.

Here are some real-life examples (from news) that illustrate how serious this issue is:

IIIT Allahabad : A first-year BTech student died by suicide (jumped from hostel) allegedly due to academic stress. He reportedly had not attended classes for months and was under pressure after failing semester exams. Business Standard Report 

NEET Aspirant in Jaipur : A 17-year-old girl preparing for NEET, staying in a hostel, was found hanging in her room. Authorities suspect academic stress as a factor. The Times of India Report

Indore : Four students from different colleges committed suicide within two days. According to reports, at least three of them (nursing and science students) were under academic stress. The Times of India Report

Jharkhand Student : A 16-year-old class 10 student allegedly jumped from his school hostel’s 4th floor. His family suspects mistreatment or harassment by school authorities. The Times of India Report 

Supreme Court’s Response : The Supreme Court of India has acknowledged a “mental health crisis” in educational institutions, calling increasing student suicides a “systemic failure.” The court has directed institutions to appoint counselors, avoid performance-based batch segregation, and conduct regular mental health training. The Times of India Report

Wider Trend : According to *India Today*, between 2019–2023 there were more than 98 reported student suicides in premier institutes (IITs, IIMs, etc.), indicating that even “successful” students are not immune. India Today Report

 Why This Is Particularly Alarming Now

* Academic environments are more competitive than before. With more students chasing limited seats, the stakes are very high.

* The coaching center culture amplifies pressure; many students move cities, stay away from families, and spend most of their time preparing.

* There's still stigma around mental health, so students may not seek help early, or may feel shame in admitting they are struggling.

* Institutions often lack proactive mental health infrastructure — either no counselors, or not enough safe channels for students to talk.