IIT-Guwahati alumnus develops program to prevent student suicides

In recent years, the alarming rise in student suicides has raised concerns nationwide.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the number of student suicides reached a five-year high in 2021, with over 13,000 students tragically taking their own lives.

While there are multifaceted reasons behind this grim statistic, one major contributing factor is the lack of awareness among students about the career paths they choose.

In an effort to combat this crisis, a Bengaluru-based startup, Edvizo, has initiated the NLCEE program. The NLCEE program aims to address the critical issue of student suicides by providing students with valuable insights into their potential career paths.

Every year, over 90 million students in India depend on private coaching centres to prepare for various competitive exams. Many of these students flock to educational hubs like Kota, Delhi, Hyderabad, Pune and Guwahati in search of better educational opportunities. 

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However, the pressure and expectations often lead to mental health issues and, in extreme cases, even suicide.

In 2023 alone, 27 students have tragically taken their lives in Kota (Rajasthan), highlighting the urgency of addressing this issue. Edvizo's NLCEE program seeks to provide a solution by sending selected students on educational exposure visits to prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) free of cost.

The NLCEE program selects students based on their academic performance and potential, giving them the opportunity to stay on an IIT campus for 4-5 days. 

During their stay, they interact with IIT professors and students, visit various departments and laboratories, and gain a deeper understanding of different career paths.

What makes the NLCEE program unique is that it extends the invitation not only to students but also to their parents. Edvizo covers all expenses for the trip, ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder this invaluable experience. In 2022, Edvizo sent 30 students to IIT Bombay for a 7-day exposure visit and another 30 to IIT Guwahati.

These exposure visits provide students with firsthand knowledge about various career options, empowering them to make more informed decisions about their future. 

The experiences gained during these visits help students set higher aspirations and foster their overall personal and professional development.

By addressing the root cause of many student suicides - the lack of career clarity - Edvizo's NLCEE program aims to reduce the number of young lives lost to this tragic phenomenon.

Through these exposure visits, students gain the knowledge and confidence they need to make the right career choices, ultimately preventing them from taking drastic measures like suicide. 

Edvizo's initiative serves as a beacon of hope in the fight against student suicides and the pursuit of a brighter future for India's youth.