Kota administration to assess students' mental health amid suicide surge
Amidst a surge in student suicides in Rajasthan's Kota, the district administration has designed a questionnaire to assess students' depression levels. The questionnaire contains 21 questions about stress-related symptoms.
In the wake of rising cases of student suicides in Rajasthan's Kota, the district administration has prepared a questionnaire for students, which would ascertain if the students are struggling with depression.
According to the details, the marks obtained in the paper would decide how students of Kota are victims of depression, anxiety and stress.
The questionnaire would contain a total of 21 questions in Hindi and English, in connection with signs and symptoms of stress.
Students would be asked to answer questions related to their mental wellness and how they dealt with a particular situation at a given time.
An official familiar with the development said, "The questionnaire would be divided into two parts. Students have to give a rating from 0 to 3 on each question. This rating is to be given on the basis of experience of the last one or two weeks. D, A, and S are written in front of every question, signifying depression, anxiety, or stress. Whatever rating the student gives, the score will be calculated on the basis of his answers in the respective category. This score varies."
He added that in the depression category, a score of 0 to 9 is normal, 10 to 13 is mild, 14 to 20 is moderate and above 21 is worrying.
Similarly, in the anxiety category, the score is normal up to 7, mild from 8 to 9 and moderate from 10 to 14 and a score above that is worrying.
In the stress category, normal conditions are up to 14, mild from 15 to 18, moderate from 19 to 25 and above that, the situation is worrying.
In part one, the questions would be related to the physical and mental health of the students. Part two of the questionnaire will inculcate general questions related to the overall health.
Twenty-four students have died by suicide in Kota this year, following which, the district administration had earlier issued directions staying tests and examinations at coaching centres for two months with immediate effect.
"In order to provide mental support and security to the studying/residential students, the examinations, being conducted from time to time, in all coaching institutes operating in Kota, have been stayed with immediate effect for the next two months," read an official release by the district administration on Sunday.
The district administration also ordered the installation of spring-loaded fans in all rooms "to provide mental support and security to students".
On Wednesday, the state government constituted a team to probe the rising suicide cases among students. The team comprises three psychologists.
The team will stay in Kota for two days and assess the mental condition of the students, along with talking to the staff and mentors at hostels and coaching institutes, before submitting its final report to the government.
