Amid the lively streets of Kota city, in India's Rajasthan, tens of thousands of students spend their days and nights at coaching centres, attending intensive lessons.
They all want to be accepted at India’s most prestigious engineering and medical colleges and, with the number of applicants far outstripping places available, the competition is intense.
The pressure for students to succeed is reflected in a grim set of statistics about suicide.
At least 23 students in Kota have died by suicide this year, and at least 45 others have made distress calls to the special police cell set up to help prevent this.
The latest suicides were reported in the last weekend of August, of an 18-year-old boy and another aged 16.
The deaths have reignited debate on the intense pressure placed on students to do well in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for admission to top government-run engineering colleges and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to state medical colleges.
Aditya Chaurasiya, a student preparing to take the NEET test, told The National there was immense pressure to outperform because of limited seats.
"All the students here are capable of pursuing MBBS [undergraduate medical degrees], but the cut-off is too high, which creates mental stress,” he said.
Window of opportunity
Among India's middle class, degrees in engineering or medicine are considered the clearest path to well-paid jobs that bring security and upward mobility.
The country produces about 1.5 million science and technology graduates annually, more than any other nation.
For aspiring engineers, the dream is to study at the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) that have produced business leaders such as Google chief executive Sundar Pichai and Parag Agarwal, the former chief executive of Twitter, now X.
But with a population of more than 1.4 billion and only 23 IITs and about 400 government medical colleges, the competition for places is fierce.
This year, more than 1.1 million students took the JEE exams with only about 40,000 seats available, while more than two million appeared for the NEET with just over 40,000 seats on offer.
The exams are a set of multiple-choice questions. Falling short of the cut-off score means failure, and another round of gruelling preparation for the next attempt.
This is where Kota comes in.
Industrial coaching
Once known for its limestone mining, the city in the western state of Rajasthan has gained a reputation as a “coaching factory” in the past two decades, with scores of institutions springing up to prepare would-be doctors and engineers for the entrance exams.
Some have sprawling campuses, others are small-scale operations, but all promise to give students that extra edge to get them over the line. Advertisements for the centres dot the city landscape, from giant billboards showcasing the successes of past students to posters pasted on walls, utility poles and even auto-rickshaws.
The city's transformation is credited to Vinod Kumar Bansal, an engineer who quit his job after being diagnosed with muscular dystrophy and started teaching students at his home.
He then opened a coaching centre, named after himself, that gained fame when one of its students won admission to an IIT in 1985.
Other coaching centres sprang up in the city, which now draws about 200,000 pupils from across the country, usually between the ages of 14 and 21 and mostly from middle-class families, for their courses.
Shahzad Hussain, a physics teacher at the Achievo Coaching Centre said Kota has some of the finest faculties in the country.
"If one is mentally prepared to take coaching classes, then it is the best place because it gives the best environment to the students, everyone is here for studies,” he said.
Pressure situation
The coaching is expensive and intensive, with students required to study for 12 to 16 hours a day and take weekly assessment tests. But despite all the hype, only about 14 to 18 per cent of Kota's coaching centre students succeed in the entrance exams.
The constant pressure to study, separation from family, relentless competition and apprehension about the exams create a challenging set of circumstances for students to manage. Many are also under pressure from knowing their family's have overstretched their means to send them to these classes.
Tuition fees for the courses range from $3,000 and $4,000, with at least $2,000 a year more needed for accommodation, food and stationery. That cost is high in a nation where the per capita income is about $2,000.
At least 100 students took their own lives in the past seven years, excluding during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, according to police records.
Teachers blame the education system and the unrealistic hopes of parents.
“Students are under pressure. Some have money problems and still their parents send them here, so they always worry what will happen if they don’t clear the exams,” said Priyam Aneja, a student aspiring for admission to an IIT.
Protecting students
The state government recently introduced measures to protect students, such as asking coaching centres to relax their teaching schedules, pause the assessment test for two months, and to identify those at risk of suicidal thoughts.
But some teachers say more is needed.
“There should be counselling sessions, and if a student wants a private session, the government should appoint a person to care of this,” said Prince Sharma, a teacher of biology at the Sankalp Institute.
“All the coaching centres should at least have one day for recreational activities to take the pressure away from studies.”
Mr Hussain, the physics teacher, said parents must consider whether their children would benefit from being sent to Kota.
“The parents should decide whether their children are mentally prepared to be in Kota. What if they feel homesick or fall sick because of the changed environment? They need to analyse their children first,” he said.
For help, you can reach Suicide Prevention India Foundation https://www.spif.in/ on 00919845074831.
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Blah
Started: 2018
Founder: Aliyah Al Abbar and Hend Al Marri
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and talent management
Initial investment: Dh20,000
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 40
'Spies in Disguise'
Director: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane
Stars: Will Smith, Tom Holland, Karen Gillan and Roshida Jones
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
T20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER
Results
UAE beat Nigeria by five wickets
Hong Kong beat Canada by 32 runs
Friday fixtures
10am, Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi – Ireland v Jersey
7.30pm, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi – Canada v Oman
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
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The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Company profile
Name: Thndr
Started: October 2020
Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000
Funding stage: series A; $20 million
Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC, Rabacap and MSA Capital
Torbal Rayeh Wa Jayeh
Starring: Ali El Ghoureir, Khalil El Roumeithy, Mostafa Abo Seria
Stars: 3
Women & Power: A Manifesto
Mary Beard
Profile Books and London Review of Books
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch (captain), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, David Warner, Adam Zampa
Napoleon
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
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- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
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- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
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AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch, Matt Renshaw, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
MATCH INFO
Norwich City 1 (Cantwell 75') Manchester United 2 (Aghalo 51' 118') After extra time.
Man of the match Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
