By Express News Service
16 students, including 8 from IITs, died by suicide in 2022Sixteen students, including eight from IITs, died by suicide in 2022, due to academic stress, family and personal reasons, mental health issues etc, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday. In 2023, six cases were reported, three each from IITs and the National Institute of Technology (NITs). In 2019, 16 students – eight each from IITs and NITs – died by suicide. In 2021, seven students – four – from IITs – took the extreme step, while in 2020, five students – three from IITs – died by suicide. In a written reply, Minister of State for Education Dr Subhas Sarkar said, “The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has provisions for counselling systems for handling stress and emotional adjustments in Institutions.” Students, wardens and caretakers are sensitized to bring to notice signs of depression in fellow students to the authorities so that timely clinical consultation may be provided.
Adoption drops over 14 per cent in 2021-22Adoption in India dipped around 14 per cent in 2021-22 as compared to 2020-21, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday. Though, in-country adoption numbers dipped, inter-country adoption didn’t see much of a change. In 2021-2022, in-country adoption was 2,991, as compared to 3,142 in 2020-21. It was 3,351 in 2019-20. Inter-country adoption was 414 in 2021-22, as compared to 417 in 2020-21 and 394 in 2019-2020. In a written reply, Women and Child Development minister Smriti Irani said the government has simplified its adoption policy under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Act, 2021 among others.
‘Global Hunger index flawed’Global Hunger Index (GHI) does not reflect India’s true picture as it is neither appropriate nor representative of hunger prevalent in a country, the Rajya Sabha was informed Wednesday. In a written answer, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Zubin Irani said the GHI “should not be taken at face value. Out of its four indicators, only one indicator, i.e., undernourishment, is directly related to hunger.” GHI does not reflect India’s true picture as it is a flawed measure of ‘Hunger,’ she said. India ranks 107 out of 121 countries on the Global Hunger Index in which it fares worse than all countries in South Asia barring Afghanistan.
UP tops in nfsa double recipientsMoS for Ministry of Rural Development and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti informed Parliament that there are over 55 lakh duplicate beneficiaries identified. Under National Food Security Act 2013, 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population are legally entitled to receive subsidized foodgrains.The Act covers 80 crore of the population of the country. Data shows that Uttar Pradesh identified largest number of duplicate ration cards with over 9.21 lakh followed by Bihar (6.67L), Delhi, (4.26L) Rajasthan(3.06L), West Bengal (2.71L)and Jharkhand (2.27L).
7 IITs without chairperson, BoGsSeven IITs and 22 NITs are without chairperson and Board of Governors, the Rajya Sabha was informed Wednesday. “Arising of vacancies and filling them up with suitable eminent persons is a continuous process for which the matter is under active consideration in the ministry,” said Minister of State for Education Dr Subhas Sarkar in a written answer. He said the Chairperson, Board of Governors (BoGs) in IITs, NITs and Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) are honorary positions having non-executive roles provided under the respective Acts governing these Institutions. He said at present, the position of Chairperson, BoGs is lying vacant in 7 IITs.
6,000 vacancies in Central UnivsOver 6,000 faculty positions are vacant in Central universities, 4,526 in IITs and 496 in IIMs, Rajya Sabha was informed. In a written reply, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, “Ministry of Education has directed all the Central Higher Educational Institutions to fill up the vacancies in mission mode, and so far more than recruitment of 6,000 posts of faculty and non-faculty have been completed.” The vacancies arise due to retirement, resignation and additional requirements on account of enhanced students’ strength, he said. The ministry is continuously monitoring these institutions.
Only 12k women hired by railways in last 5 yrsIndian Railways recruited over 12,000 women in the last 5 years on all posts compared to the total recruitments of over 1.64 lakh men. In a written reply to a question on Wednesday, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that Railways does not keep demarcation of domains as all kind of posts happen to be open for both men and women. Citing data on recruitments of the last 5 years, the minister said that 12,409 women were recruited from 2018-19 to 2022-23 compared to the recruitments of 1,64,281 men during the same period.
Won’t amend article 155 of ConstitutionThe Centre said that it wouldn’t initiate any steps to amend Article 155 of the Constitution for incorporating the proposal in Justice RS Sarkaria Commission Report that governors should be appointed after consultation with the chief minister of respective states. Replying to a question tabled by CPM MP John Brittas, the Home Ministry said that the government is of the view that the practice of consultation with state CM may be followed as a matter of convention, and there is no need to amend Article 155 of the Constitution.
Compiled by Kavita Bajeli Datt, Rajesh Kumar Thakur, Preetha Nair & Jitendra Choubey
(Assistance to overcome suicidal thoughts is available on the state health department helpline 104 and on Sneha helpline at 044-24640050.)
16 students, including 8 from IITs, died by suicide in 2022
Sixteen students, including eight from IITs, died by suicide in 2022, due to academic stress, family and personal reasons, mental health issues etc, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday. In 2023, six cases were reported, three each from IITs and the National Institute of Technology (NITs). In 2019, 16 students – eight each from IITs and NITs – died by suicide. In 2021, seven students – four – from IITs – took the extreme step, while in 2020, five students – three from IITs – died by suicide. In a written reply, Minister of State for Education Dr Subhas Sarkar said, “The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has provisions for counselling systems for handling stress and emotional adjustments in Institutions.” Students, wardens and caretakers are sensitized to bring to notice signs of depression in fellow students to the authorities so that timely clinical consultation may be provided.
Adoption drops over 14 per cent in 2021-22
Adoption in India dipped around 14 per cent in 2021-22 as compared to 2020-21, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday. Though, in-country adoption numbers dipped, inter-country adoption didn’t see much of a change. In 2021-2022, in-country adoption was 2,991, as compared to 3,142 in 2020-21. It was 3,351 in 2019-20. Inter-country adoption was 414 in 2021-22, as compared to 417 in 2020-21 and 394 in 2019-2020. In a written reply, Women and Child Development minister Smriti Irani said the government has simplified its adoption policy under the Juvenile Justice
(Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Act, 2021 among others.
‘Global Hunger index flawed’
Global Hunger Index (GHI) does not reflect India’s true picture as it is neither appropriate nor representative of hunger prevalent in a country, the Rajya Sabha was informed Wednesday. In a written answer, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Zubin Irani said the GHI “should not be taken at face value. Out of its four indicators, only one indicator, i.e., undernourishment, is directly related to hunger.” GHI does not reflect India’s true picture as it is a flawed measure of ‘Hunger,’ she said. India ranks 107 out of 121 countries on the Global Hunger Index in which it fares worse than all countries in South Asia barring Afghanistan.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
UP tops in nfsa double recipients
MoS for Ministry of Rural Development and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti informed Parliament that there are over 55 lakh duplicate beneficiaries identified. Under National Food Security Act 2013, 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population are legally entitled to receive subsidized foodgrains.The Act covers 80 crore of the population of the country. Data shows that Uttar Pradesh identified largest number of duplicate ration cards with over 9.21 lakh followed by Bihar (6.67L), Delhi, (4.26L) Rajasthan(3.06L),
West Bengal (2.71L)and Jharkhand (2.27L).
7 IITs without chairperson, BoGs
Seven IITs and 22 NITs are without chairperson and Board of Governors, the Rajya Sabha was informed Wednesday. “Arising of vacancies and filling them up with suitable eminent persons is a continuous process for which the matter is under active consideration in the ministry,” said Minister of State for Education Dr Subhas Sarkar in a written answer. He said the Chairperson, Board of Governors (BoGs) in IITs, NITs and Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) are honorary positions having non-executive roles provided under the respective Acts governing these Institutions. He said at present, the position of Chairperson, BoGs is lying vacant in 7 IITs.
6,000 vacancies in Central Univs
Over 6,000 faculty positions are vacant in Central universities, 4,526 in IITs and 496 in IIMs, Rajya Sabha was informed. In a written reply, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, “Ministry of Education has directed all the Central Higher Educational Institutions to fill up the vacancies in mission mode, and so far more than recruitment of 6,000 posts of faculty and non-faculty have been completed.” The vacancies arise due to retirement, resignation and additional requirements on account of enhanced students’ strength, he said. The ministry is continuously monitoring these institutions.
Only 12k women hired by railways in last 5 yrs
Indian Railways recruited over 12,000 women in the last 5 years on all posts compared to the total recruitments of over 1.64 lakh men. In a written reply to a question on Wednesday, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that Railways does not keep demarcation of domains as all kind of posts happen to be open for both men and women. Citing data on recruitments of the last 5 years, the minister said that 12,409 women were recruited from 2018-19 to 2022-23 compared to the recruitments of 1,64,281 men during the same period.
Won’t amend article 155 of Constitution
The Centre said that it wouldn’t initiate any steps to amend Article 155 of the Constitution for incorporating the proposal in Justice RS Sarkaria Commission Report that governors should be appointed after consultation with the chief minister of respective states. Replying to a question tabled by CPM MP John Brittas, the Home Ministry said that the government is of the view that the practice of consultation with state CM may be followed as a matter of convention, and there is no need to amend Article 155 of the Constitution.
Compiled by Kavita Bajeli Datt, Rajesh Kumar Thakur, Preetha Nair & Jitendra Choubey
(Assistance to overcome suicidal thoughts is available on the state health department helpline 104 and on Sneha helpline at 044-24640050.)
