Why Student Stress in India is a National Crisis
In recent years, India has witnessed disturbing incidents that highlight how fragile the higher education safety net can be. In August 2025, at a private University in Ahmedabad, a BCA student allegedly attempted suicide after harassment over unpaid tuition fees — an incident that sparked protests from the students. Just a few months earlier, in December 2024, a college student in Bhiwani, Haryana, ended her life after her family alleged that she was harassed by college authorities over unpaid fees and barred from taking her final exams. In September 2024, the Supreme Court had to intervene to restore the IIT Dhanbad admission of a brilliant student, the son of a daily wage worker, who lost his seat because he could not pay the initial ₹17,500 fee on time. Even at the school level, the situation is grim: in March 2025, a 17-year-old in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, reportedly died by suicide after being humiliated for an unpaid fee of just ₹800 and barred from writing his exam.
These cases are not isolated. In 2023 alone, 13,892 students in India died by suicide — an average of 38 young lives lost every single day, according to the NCRB. Financial pressure, academic stress, parental expectations, and mental-health struggles often converge, leaving young people trapped in hopelessness. The question we must ask is: are our institutions doing enough to prevent such tragedies
Unlike primary and secondary education, where government policies ensure free or subsidised schooling, higher education in India is fee-based and competitive. Universities and colleges are expected to function with financial autonomy, and students are treated as independent adults capable of managing their choices. However, this often overlooks the fact that many come from fragile socio-economic backgrounds, where delays are not acts of negligence but the unavoidable outcome of circumstance and hardship.
To address such realities, India already has a framework of financial assistance. The government offers schemes such as the Central Sector Scheme of Scholarships for College and University Students, National Means–cum-Merit Scholarships, and Post-Matric Scholarships for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, minorities, and persons with disabilities. In addition, the University Grants Commission (UGC) mandates that institutions provide fee concessions, scholarships, or financial aid through student welfare offices. Some states — like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and West Bengal — have additional grants for economically weaker students.
However, the problem lies in accessibility. Many students are unaware of these schemes, fail to meet the rigid deadlines, or find the paperwork too complex. In some cases, stigma prevents them from applying — they fear being seen as incapable of self-support. The result is that resources meant to provide relief often go underutilised.
Financial aid is only part of the solution. Life on Indian campuses comes with additional burdens: tough competition for placements, uncertain job markets, social isolation in unfamiliar cities, and parental pressure to excel. While many universities have counselors, psychologists, and student welfare centres, these services are still inadequate compared to the sheer size of student populations. According to UGC’s 2022 guidelines, all universities must set up counselling cells, but implementation is patchy. Even where they exist, students often hesitate to approach them due to lack of awareness or fear of judgment.
The need of the hour is to build a proactive culture of support. Universities should not just react after a tragedy but constantly reach out to vulnerable students. Faculty mentors can play a critical role by noticing early warning signs, such as absenteeism, declining performance, or withdrawal from peer groups. Regular orientation programs should highlight available scholarships, loan facilities, and counselling services in clear and simple language. Peer support networks, helplines, and digital counselling platforms can also help bridge the gap.
India is a young nation, with more than 40% of its population under the age of 25. Our campuses are more than centres of academic training; they are incubators of the country’s future. Losing young talent to preventable despair is a national loss — of human potential, innovation, and leadership.
The responsibility is not limited to universities. Families must reassure students that financial or academic setbacks are temporary hurdles, not permanent failures. Policymakers must ensure that support systems are not only announced but actively monitored for effectiveness. And as a society, we must normalise conversations about stress, anxiety, and mental health with the same seriousness we attach to grades or placements.
No student should ever feel that keeping quiet is their only option. True support begins when institutions make it safe to speak up and continue to listen with empathy. Every difficulty — financial, emotional, or academic — has a solution, but only if the student believes they are not alone in facing it.
