New Delhi, May 11 -- The number of student suicides in India climbed to 14,488 in 2024 -- the highest in at least a decade -- marking a 4.3% rise from 13,892 cases in 2023 even as overall suicides in the country declined marginally by 0.4% during the same period, according to the latest data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). While overall suicides rose to 170,746 in 2024 - up 11.6% from 153,052 in 2020 and 27.8% from 133,623 a decade ago in 2015, student suicides grew at an even sharper pace - rising 15.7% from 12,526 in 2020 and surging at a much steeper 62.2% from 8,934 in 2015. In total, 115,850 students died by suicide in a decade between 2015 and 2024, according to NCRB's Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India report. The share of student suicides in India's overall suicide cases has also risen over the years. According to the latest NCRB report, student suicides accounted for 8.5% of the 170,746 total suicides recorded in 2024, up from 8.1% of 171,418 cases in 2023. The proportion of students suicide stood at 8.2% of 153,052 suicides in 2020 and 6.7% of 133,623 cases in 2015. Experts and psychiatrists said the rise in student suicide cases reflects a growing student mental health crisis fuelled by academic pressure, untreated psychological distress and weak support systems, and called for stronger counselling systems, early intervention, awareness of government helplines and easier access to mental health support. Dr Om Prakash, professor of psychiatry and deputy medical superintendent, Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), Delhi, said: "We often see exam pressure, cut-throat competition, parental expectations, career worries and social media as major triggers for rise in student suicides. Though these triggers certainly matter, in my clinical experience, many students who attempt or die by suicide are battling untreated depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder or other deep emotional distress that was never picked up in time." "We urgently need early identification, stigma-free counselling and stronger mental health support systems in educational institutions," he added. Ganesh Kohli, founder of the Mumbai-based International Career and College Counseling (IC3) Movement, which works on issues related to students mental health, said educational institutions must integrate mental health awareness into mainstream education as essential student support systems to prevent suicide cases. "Teachers and parents also need greater sensitization to recognize early signs of distress and create environments where students feel safe seeking help without fear of judgment," he said. Of the 14,488 students who died by suicide in 2024, a total of 7,669 were male and 6,819 were female. The highest proportion of such suicides was reported in Maharashtra (13.2%), followed by Uttar Pradesh (10.9%), Madhya Pradesh (10%) and Tamil Nadu (8.9%), NCRB data showed....