Hyderabad HC admits PIL on student suicides in AP, Telangana

The Hyderabad High Court on Monday admitted a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on the increase of student suicides in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

In a letter written by a social activist and co-convener of the Lok Satta Agitation Society in Prakasam district, Dasari Emmanuel, who alleged that one of the main offenders, Narayana Junior College, was owned by a cabinet Minister from Andhra and claimed that 10 students ended their lives in the recent past from Narayana and the Sri Chaitanya group of institutions.

The Court issued summons to the chief secretaries of both the states, along with other officials while marking the directors of Narayana and Sri Chaitanya colleges as respondents.

Last year, activists claimed that more than 50 students committed suicide in the two states within a month.

Junior Colleges with two major institutions, Sri Chaitanya and Narayana providing Intermediate education are known for the harsh conditions students are put through.

Particularly for those students living in hostels, a rigorous time schedule is fixed and the stress ends up taking a toll on their mental health.

The Telangana government issued show cause notices to 194 junior colleges for violation of guidelines issued by the State Board of Intermediate Education (BIE) while Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu warned corporate institutions against harassing students.