Kota, Rajasthan, has become equivalent to academic excellence. It has become a common belief that students must attend prestigious coaching centres in Kota to achieve their dreams of getting into IITs and Medical colleges.
As early as 14, parents start sending their kids off to Kota to compete in the race. In these juvenile years, when children should be nurtured and cherished, they face ruthless competition and palpable pressure to succeed.
This interferes with their holistic development and leads them to a path of darkness where all they experience is the urge to be validated academically and to stay on top of the pyramid.
Their worth becomes associated with their grades. In the age when they should be taught to live in harmony, they are taught to compete with every single person around them.
All these negative feelings and harsh environments rob them of their gentleness and optimism. The pressure and the competition are a lot to be handled at such an early age.
The lack of any moral support in the lives of these students leads them into depression.
The main reasons students in Kota go into depression are –
1. Long hours of study
The tiring curriculum and fierce competition put a toll on the students to study for an unhealthy amount of time, which can go up to 14–15 hours per day.
With this schedule, they hardly get the leisure time to participate in extracurriculars or even rest properly. This damages their mental as well as physical health.
2. Isolation and lack of emotional support
When a student cannot perform as per their and their parent’s expectations, they start feeling purposeless and isolate themselves from their families and friends.
Students, in this phase, start feeling confused and misunderstood and like to be away from people because of the same. Loneliness leads to a lack of emotional support, which ultimately leads to depression.
3. Unhealthy competition
The level of competition in Kota is toxic, and there are no ways taught to the students to deal with it. In this destructive race, the students often feel like they are behind the crowd, which develops a feeling of uselessness in them.
The extreme rise of depression in Kota is rooted in academic pressure, toxic competition, unhealthy hours of study, and a lack of emotional support. Students should be taught how to navigate their emotions while preparing for competitive exams.
Conclusion
The mental health of these students should be prioritized, and they should be taught the importance of including refreshments in their daily lives. They should be able to achieve their goals without sacrificing their well-being.
