With the much awaited Right to Education Act (RTE) which will make education compulsory and free till class 8, coming into force, the government of India is now gearing up to face the consequences of implementation of this act - increase in number of student suicides. Home Minister P. Chidambaram acknowledged the possibility that the move to enforce compulsory primary and secondary education will result in drastic increase in the number of students vying for limited college seats which might result in more attempted student suicides.
Chidambaram laughed when a reporter pointed out that the HRD minister was trying to tackle the problem by planning to set up 800 new universities, 35000 colleges and allowing foreign universities to set shop in India. "In India, equations are never that simple. There is always a slip between the cup and the lip. Look at our agriculture distribution system. We produce surplus food stocks every year, yet thousands die from hunger and millions suffer from malnutrition because of lack of purchasing power. Right to education will create a larger pool of educated youth, but will it create suitable jobs for them too? Without jobs, compulsory education will only create surplus manpower that will rot like wheat in our warehouses."
"It is my ministry which will have to deal with the rise in student suicides." continued Chidambaram. "And honestly, there is nothing the home ministry can do to stop it." The minister pointed out that Kerala which is India's only fully literate state also has highest suicide rate in India. "That's because in India, education increases expectations of the educated. College graduates consider it below their dignity to take up blue-collared jobs. Where will all the extra white-collared jobs come from to satisfy the expectations of the increased number of college graduates?"
"The way I see it, our youth is doomed. If my colleague Sibal is unable to establish 800 universities and 35000 colleges in the next 10 years, RTE act will result in creation of exceedingly large pool of students who will have to face the nerve-wrecking pressure of competing for limited college seats. But if miraculously, he does succeed in establishing adequate number of college seats for the increased number of students passing out from secondary schools, they will face the situation of not having adequate white-collared jobs. In both the cases, large number of students will be left with no option but to end their lives."
Chidambaram said that since there is no realistic and practical solution to the problems that will arise from higher literacy rates in India, the country needs to be prepared for higher rate of student suicides in the coming years. "Since for many dog years, it has been our unwritten policy that when faced with unsolvable problems, create new legislations or amend the existing ones, I will do the same. I will not be able to stem the tide of rising suicides, but by amending the laws that make suicide a criminal offense, I can make the task of committing suicide easier for students."
"Its not enough to just legalize suicide. We need to make it a fundamental right so that no one in India who wants to commit suicide is deprived the pleasure of ending his life due to inadequate facilities. "Many people chicken out of ending their miserable lives due to irrational fears like fear of heights, fear of pain or just fear of death. Jumping from rooftops of tall buildings or flinging yourself on a railway track at the approach of a speeding train is not every one's cup of tea. But if 'Right to suicide' is made a fundamental right, we will see mushrooming of thousands of 'Suicide Assistance Centers' all over the country, which will help our students overcome their fears and end their lives effortlessly and painlessly."
"And of course, passage of 'Right to Suicide' bill will also remove the stigma of committing suicide, which is right now the number one factor that prevents people from taking the extreme step. Once we stop treating suicide as a crime and begin the process of treating it as a desirable solution to many unsolvable problems, it will make the job of governing the country easier."
The minister said that his idea of RTS Act has support of Ministry for Health & Family Welfare and Ministry for Agriculture & Food. "Considering that overpopulation is one of India's major problem, it is irrational to prevent people from terminating their lives. Our health ministry has been pleading with PMO and home ministry for many years to legalize suicide. My colleague Sharad Pawar is also pleased with my proposed move to introduce 'Right to Suicide' bill in Parliament. He has promised me full cooperation and assured me that his ministry will take the necessary action to ensure that every village in the country has a suicide assistance center."
