TELANGANA: Nineteen students have killed themselves since mid-April, after the release of intermediate examination results, officials say.
The state examination for 12th-graders has come under scrutiny. Hundreds of parents have protested the marking and evaluation of the test papers, which they say have resulted in students being awarded incorrect marks and, in many cases, failing the exams. Most university admissions are based on the examination.
Some students have said that they appeared for exams but were marked absent or that they were awarded zero marks in specific subjects that they completed.
Parents have blamed both the state Board of Intermediate Education, which is responsible for the examinations and their evaluation, and the Telangana government. The board contracted the evaluation of mark sheets to an outside firm, Globarena, which could not be reached for comment.
Thousands of Indian young people die by suicide every year, according to the National Crime Record Bureau. In 2015, they made up 6.7% of all suicides, totaling to almost 9,000 deaths. Some experts, parents and officials blame the pressure to succeed in school.
However, two or three suicides have been reported every day in Telangana since the announcement of the results on April 18, Jitender says. (Agencies)
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