Suicide has always been painful for everybody, and a
curse for the family, community, nation and the humanity as a whole. Suicide is
acceptable neither in the eyes of the society or the law, so an attempt to
suicide is a punishable act.
Recently, a 21-year old dental student from Punjab
committed suicide by hanging herself in her room. The question remains that
what exactly has happened to all the medical fraternity, who’ve taken a pledge
to save other’s lives, suddenly taking their own? This incident is not the only
one, with many such incidents being reported all over the country.
The reports of farmers committing suicides due to
poverty can be seen on a daily basis, with their agonies appreciated and reforms
advised on print as well as social media. But if a medico is forced to take
such an extreme step, rarely does it find a mention on any media platform. It
is baffling that a doctor, who might be aware of his depression, and the curative
options available to him, seldom seeks help.
The stress on a doctor gets started to be planted on
him right from the day he enters the professional college. Due to the vast
course and limited time to complete every subject, a student cannot think anything
except studying, in turn, making him a book worm. Even after that, the fear of not
being able to pass in examinations completely shatters them. This fear of
failure, along with fear of bringing a bad name to family and friends, makes
one choose to end his life. Even in the premier medical institutes across the
country, students fall prey to pressure and loneliness. To add to this pressure
is the fact that Indian families generally do not welcome back defeated or
recalcitrant students as much as they do not welcome back daughters after a
failed marriage. According to them, they have already invested too much so there
is no point in discontinuing.
One can read about suicides being committed
by students, particularly in the medical field, every other day. Suicides
committed by a student are an issue of considerable concern resulting in loss
of individual lives. It also causes significant trauma for the family members
and friends of those who commit suicide. Since the society has undergone a
dramatic change during the past few years, there is a constant duty to address
current problems and to develop effective solutions. Concerning the matter of
student suicides, medical colleges presently enjoy relatively limited
responsibilities in these matters, but it would be thoughtless to assume that
this will continue in the future.
The problem today is most prevalent among medical
students is the hierarchical and competitive structure of medical colleges and
hospitals. Students are the backbone of any medical college. In a private
medical college, parents pay humungous amounts, with most of the colleges
lacking a proper infrastructure of teaching, getting recognition by bribing. Instead
of good quality education, students are completely squeezed, with the
government or the medical and dental councils hardly having time to look into
the matter. When an incidence of suicide by a student takes place, a board is
set up to carry out an enquiry and hush-up the matter. No emphasis is ever
given on how to control this menace in future.
The Indian medicos are facing a tough time. There
are very less government jobs available, with no campus placements for medical
students, even at premier medical institutes. Even when doctors somehow manage
to get jobs in private hospitals and nursing homes, they don’t get a decent
remuneration. All these add up to the stress levels of young doctors.
After an extensive study, at a time when most of
their peers in non-medical fields are already earning, when doctors come out
with a degree, they do not have proper jobs. A handful of “lucky” ones do get a
chance to work with prestigious hospitals, others are pushed to work for
private institutes, pushed to work hard, with pays not coming on time, having
salary backlogs for as long as three to four months. After so many years of
study, a doctor just gets around Rs. 20,000-25,000 per month, which adds up to
a doctor’s depression.
Post-graduation is the toughest period in a medical
student’s life, when he has to study hard while working tirelessly in a
hospital. Not getting a post-graduation seat is not an option these days as the
society hardly recognizes non post-graduate doctors. And with very few post
graduate seats in the government colleges, and the ones in the private colleges
being openly sold, the frustration of a doctor only tends to grow.
The government officials are often heard cribbing
that there is a shortage of doctors in the rural areas. Still, there is little
recruitment of doctors by the government, leading to an ever increasing number
of unemployed doctors, with the society reluctant to accept fresh crop of
doctors in private practice.
It is high time that the government starts caring
for the doctors, or the time is not far when meritorious students start to opt
for other fields. Admissions into private medical colleges should be made in
accordance with the all India pre-medical entrance test, with the admission process
being totally transparent.
Medical and Dental Councils of India, the
regulatory bodies governing all the medical and dental colleges in the country,
do not currently have a policy that specifically addresses student suicide.
Making and implementation of a policy would not take a lot of time or expense,
and could potentially be a strong source of support, should an unfortunate
situation arise. There is a presumption among the managements of various
colleges that teachers and other employees have received such instruction about
student safety (including student suicide) during their years of education.
Without specific guidelines, merely conducting an inquiry and brushing one’s
hands off is no way. The authorities should choose to address the issue of
student suicide by both action and policy.
There is a strong need for a student and
faculty grievance cell, based upon the idea that, while one can never be able
to eliminate the risk of suicide, specialized services can be provided to
identify students at risk for suicide, and also provide on campus counseling
sessions or through referral to specialists, depending upon the individual
case.
Although a professional college ultimately
has little or no control over the actions of a student with suicidal
tendencies, it is the very basic necessity to look out for the well-being of
the students and to do everything within the powers to protect them. Teaching
faculty of colleges is entrusted upon with the challenging task of shaping
young minds and advising them as they mature. Unfortunately, the colossal
demands of the adolescent society intrude on a daily basis and may severely
hinder the ability of the colleges to carry out their original mission of
educating its students. In order to educate the students, one must do
everything within his powers to help them be ready to learn. As well wishers of
the medical and dental fraternity, which includes the students as well as the
faculty, the government as well as the college managements, should be morally as
well as legally, obligated to address the issue of student suicide.
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