Empowering India's youth by supporting their mental health

The Hindu

14 hours ago

With over 380 million people between the ages 10 and 24, India has the world's largest youth population in the world. This is often referred to as India's 'demographic dividend', a window of opportunity for the country's economic growth and prosperity. However, a question follows this staggering number – are India's young truly healthy, both physically and mentally, to carry the weight of this opportunity?
Rising levels of anxiety and depression, and suicide statistics are reflective of a silent emergency that is in contradiction to the positive perspective emerging from the numbers. It is believed that at least one person dies by suicide every hour in India. Unless steps are taken to better the situation, this increasing burden of mental illness will sabotage the prosperity that India is poised to enjoy with its young.
Suicide: an epidemic
Suicide is now among the top causes of death among Indian youth aged between 15 and 29 years. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) data, India's suicide rate in 2021 was 12.6 per 1,00,000, significantly higher than the global average of 9.2. In addition, the National Crime Records Bureau's (NCRB) 2022 report states that more than 13,000 students died by suicide in that year, with about 2,000 of these deaths linked to exam failure.
These numbers are not merely isolated instances of individual suffering. They reflect a larger systemic issue that encompasses education, work, family life, and societal expectations. Additionally, increased instances of self-injury and suicidal thoughts among young adults and teenagers indicate that a majority of them are fighting long before they hit crisis point.
Youth suicide in India is no longer an extremity, but a public health crisis. Without early intervention and ongoing support, the country's young people will go on battling mental health problems until it is too late for anyone to help them.
What are the key drivers?
The reasons behind Indian youth suicides are varied and multi-layered. In the majority of instances, suicide is not the end result of one event but rather an accumulation of a series of events over a period of time. The key drivers are:
Academic pressure and fear of failure: India's education system continues to be deeply exam-focused, with massive pressure on students to perform extremely well. Institution-wide high-stakes testing, demanding academic streams, and low failure tolerance can lead to stress. The psychological cost of constant academic pressure leads to suicide. Between 2019 and 2023, 98 suicides were reported across India's top institutions including IITs, NITs, with a recent survey among IIT students revealing that 61% cite academic stress as the main trigger.
Economic insecurity and unemployment: With youth unemployment rates high, many are not likely to get a job easily. The subsequent sense of frustration and despair can contribute to a decline in mental health.
Societal and family pressures: Family expectations regarding career, marriage, and financial obligations are sources of stress. Conflict with others, or perceptions of failure to meet expectations, are in most cases, directly linked to suicidal activity. In addition, cultural stigma prevents open family discussion of emotional and mental health issues. Data from NCRB suggests that about 48% of all suicides among young adults are caused by distress from family problems, love affairs, and marriage-related issues.
Mental health disorders and inadequate access to care: Underlying mental illness—depression, anxiety, or addiction—can often remain undiagnosed. Even as awareness spreads, professional mental health care remains out of reach for many, particularly in rural areas.
Stigma and silence: A general stigma around mental illness continues to discourage seeking assistance. Young people tend to fear being labelled weak, unstable, or attention-seeking. Emotional suffering is thus internalised, and by the time it is verbalised, the condition is beyond prevention. According to a UNICEF survey on mental health across 21 countries, including India, only 41% of Indian youth feel it's acceptable to seek professional mental health support.
What needs to change
Youth suicide needs to be tackled by an integrated, multi-sectoral response that crosses healthcare, education, family systems, and public communication. Some steps that could help include:
Destigmatise help-seeking — Despite increasing mental health struggles, many young people hesitate to seek help due to fear of judgement, family pressure, or lack of awareness. A narrative must be created to normalise mental health conversations, with the help of awareness campaigns both at schools, colleges and in communities. To seek help should no longer seem to be a weakness or a matter of shame.
Strengthen crisis support systems — India has 24/7 mental health helplines including KIRAN (1800-599-0019) and Tele-MANAS (14416), We Care Mental Health Helpline operated by Bengaluru police and NIMHANS - 8277946600, NIMHANS toll free hotline [phone], etc., offering free counselling in multiple languages. However, awareness among the youth remains low, and many don't know that these services exist. These crisis systems must be widely promoted in schools, colleges, and public platforms.
Involve families and communities — It is important to make parents and caregivers aware of the need to have open conversations about mental health and break the stigma around it as they have a major influence on the youth.
The loss of a young life is not merely a personal loss but also a national one. It is a loss of potential, of aspirations, and of a future that will never come. India's youth are meant to be the architects of the nation's progress, but they cannot perform this task if they are emotionally broken, unsupported, or muzzled. Suicide prevention is not just a health priority. It is a priority for the economy, and for society as whole.
(Dr. Diwakar Goutham N, Senior Consultant, Clinical Lead - Psychiatry, Narayana Health City, Bangalore. [e-mail])
[Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on Tele-MANAS 14416, and SNEHA's suicide prevention helpline - 044 24640050 or from any of the numbers in this link]