In a shocking incidence, 19 students in the state of Telangana committed suicide in a span of just one week after failing in intermediate examinations. The official figures are not yet out but channels and newspapers have reported that 19 students in the Intermediate classes of 11 and 12 took their lives in just a week.
One of the saddest parts of the entire incident is that the opposition parties are more interested in politicizing the entire issue blaming the Telangana Board of Intermediate Examination (TBIE) for these series of suicides.
Highest Number Of Suicides In Recent years
It is considered to be the highest number of suicides committed by students of intermediate level in the last few years. Out of the 19 students, three students who committed suicide were in the age group of 18 to 19 years whereas one student was found missing. One of the students, Chakali Raju belonged to Medak district.
Raju was disturbed because he failed in Economics and Civics in the Intermediate paper of the second year and hanged himself. Surprisingly, Raju was third in his first year examination but his scores touched bottom in the second year.
Another student from Yadadri Bhongri district, Akaram Mithi also committed suicide by hanging herself after failing in Physics and Zoology papers of the Intermediate second year.
A student of MPC (Maths, Physics, Chemistry), Sailaja from Nizamabad district also killed herself as she could not score the marks as expected in the Intermediate examination. Sailaja’s score of 847 out of 1,000 was quite good but even then she committed suicide because she was not happy with her marks.
Parents of Umesh Chandra from Warangal lodged a missing complaint when their son did not return after the day results were announced. Chandra failed in his first-year Intermediate examination.
Students And Parents Blame TBIE For Goof-Ups And Fiasco
The results were announced on April 18 and immediately after that the students and parents started blaming the TBIE for goof-ups and fiasco.
The consequences of the results on the students who failed or could not score marks as expected have been disastrous due to which the government has formed a three-member committee to probe the matter.
This panel already is probing the functioning and ways of operations of an IT company hired by TBIE for services.
Amidst the protests from students groups and opposition parties, TBIE has admitted that there have been lapses in its working and have assured parents and students that all the mistakes will be rectified.
Embarrassing Situation For Telangana CM
The issue continued to flare up causing an embarrassing situation for the government and forced the Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao to intervene and announce free re-verification of the answer sheets of students failing in the exams.
For the students who have scored fewer marks the re-verification will be carried out with a prescribed fee as per the norms of TBIE.
The CM said, “I felt extremely unhappy and deeply hurt over such incidents. Suicides of students are most unfortunate. Intermediate education is not the whole life. Failing in examination does not amount to failing in life. Life is precious. There will be plenty of opportunities.”
While advising the students the CM said, “If you commit suicide, you will be leaving behind a lot of sorrow to the parents. I appeal to every student not to commit suicide.”
