Stories
IIT Suicide After Cheating: Why Young Minds Collapse Under Pressure?
- •An IIT student's suicide after being caught cheating highlights the critical issue of mental health among youth.
- •Dr. Neha Agarwal attributes youth suicides to shattered self-esteem, impulsivity, and an inability to accept defeat.
- •Young individuals often derive their identity and self-worth from external validation, making minor setbacks feel like profound humiliation.
- •The prefrontal cortex, responsible for rational thinking, is not fully mature in those under 25, leading to impulsive decisions under stress.
- •Parents must foster rationality in children from a young age and be vigilant for signs of stress or depression to prevent such tragedies.
Key Questions Answered
According to Dr. Neha Agarwal, student suicides following minor incidents stem from long-term stress, shattering self-esteem, and catastrophic thinking. Under-25 youth have an immature prefrontal cortex, which limits impulse control and rational decision-making during high-stress moments. Additionally, high amygdala activation releases cortisol and adrenaline, while low serotonin levels impair impulse control, increasing vulnerability to sudden emotional storms.
Protests erupted at IIT Bombay following the tragic death of a second-year student who died by suicide on September 18 after being caught using a mobile phone to upload an exam paper to ChatGPT. While the institute stated that no formal disciplinary action was initiated and he was counselled, the incident sparked widespread outrage, an online debate over campus culture, and a police case against the professor who detected the cheating following family allegations of harassment.
In July 2023, the Ministry of Education informed Parliament that 39 students died by suicide across the IITs between 2018 and 2023. Furthermore, data compiled by the Global IIT Alumni Support Group indicates that 171 unnatural deaths occurred over the past two decades, with 82 percent of those cases being campus suicides.
