Minister visits Bengaluru schoolboy who attempted suicide after humiliation over fees

Education

The private school in HSR Layout in Bengaluru has been served a show cause notice.

Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar on Thursday visited and offered support to a 17-year-old Bengaluru student who attempted to take his life after being reprimanded in front of his batchmates for being unable to pay his school fees. The Department of Public Instruction has already issued a notice to the private school in HSR Layout for harassing the student.  According to The Times of India, Suresh Kumar went to the student’s home and offered support to the boy, who was also reportedly not allowed to write his school-level exams. He urged the student to muster courage and rise above adversity, and counselled the boy. The minister also cited the example of Mahesh, a son of a migrant worker who made news for performing exceptionally well in the SSLC exams in 2020.  Officials in the state Education Department said that the school has been served a show-cause notice under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Karnataka Education Act and may even lose its accreditation.  The TOI report said that the police had allegedly not cooperated with the child’s parents when they went to register a complaint against the school management. This incident comes at a time when private schools are agitating against the state government over the school fee regulation. While the government has ordered that schools cannot take more than 70% of tuition fees, the schools have been citing that they are facing a financial crunch. Two days after the private schools requested the government to cap the fee cut limit at 15%, they announced that the school managements, teachers and non-teaching will stage a protest and demanded that the order be repealed.  The school associations were also considering approaching the courts over the matter, citing that the resulting fund crunch will mean that they will not be able to pay their staff fully.

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If you are aware of anyone facing mental health issues or feeling suicidal, please provide help. Here are some helpline numbers of suicide-prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.   

Tamil Nadu

State health department's suicide helpline: 104

Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre - 044-24640050 (listed as the sole suicide prevention helpline in Tamil Nadu)

Andhra Pradesh

Life Suicide Prevention: 78930 78930

Roshni: 9166202000, 9127848584

Karnataka

Sahai (24-hour): 080 65000111, 080 65000222

Kerala

Maithri: 0484 2540530

Chaithram: 0484 2361161

Both are 24-hour helpline numbers.

Telangana

State government's suicide prevention (tollfree): 104

Roshni: 040 66202000, 6620200

SEVA: 09441778290, 040 27504682 (between 9 am and 7 pm)

Aasara offers support to individuals and families during an emotional crisis, for those dealing with mental health issues and suicidal ideation, and to those undergoing trauma after the suicide of a loved one.    

24x7 Helpline: 9820466726

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