- By Surarika Das
- Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:38 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
- The National Crime Records Bureau data in its latest report revealed that female students are failing to handle academic pressure.
- In 2024, more than 15,400 people died by suicide in MP
- Of these, 731 were recorded as female students, suffering from anxiety, stress, and difficulty in making career choices.
Madhya Pradesh is one of India's biggest developing states, attracting big industrial developments, sustainable approaches, and career opportunities for many. However, behind the high-rise commercial buildings and the educational hubs, a grim reality persists: rising suicide rates. Cases of suicide have been rising at an alarming rate in Madhya Pradesh, with female students becoming the biggest victims of prolonged distress. The National Crime Records Bureau data in its latest report revealed that female students are failing to handle academic pressure.
What Does Data Say?
The data says that Madhya Pradesh ranks third in suicide rates after Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. The state accounts for roughly 9 per cent of all suicidal deaths nationwide, with an average of roughly 42 to 44 people taking their lives every day.
In 2024, more than 15,400 people died by suicide in MP. Of these, 731 were recorded as female students, suffering from anxiety, stress, and difficulty in making career choices.
According to the reported suicide statistics, major cities in Madhya Pradesh feature prominently on the list of cities with the highest suicide rates in the country. Indore, the state's commercial capital, has a reported suicide rate exceeding 34 per cent, placing it fourth nationwide. Meanwhile, the capital, Bhopal, has a rate above 28 percent, ranking seventh in the country.
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Data reveals a narrowing gender gap among student suicides nationwide. In MP, the major contributing factor for female students is academic failure. When a girl student fails an exam, she feels several doors are shutting down on her face. In addition, young females experience stress from the weight of the issues that come with academic failure. Families often exert pressure on young women to marry and settle down. The age group between 15 and 25 is most prone to take such steps.
Another contributing factor in the rising number of suicides is the double burden of expectations. Experts note that female students face a sharp collision between expanding career aspirations and limited personal autonomy.
The data significantly cites "difficulty in making career choices" and severe anxiety about future employment as significant distress drivers for the rising rates of female suicides in the state. The statistics reveal a worrying mental health crisis fuelled by academic pressure and expectations. Low familial support systems and toxic study environments lead to deep-rooted psychological distress among young individuals.