After Spring-Loaded Fans, Kota Hostels Install 'Anti-Suicide' Nets To Prevent Students' Death

Nets have been installed in all lobbies and balconies to block students in case they jump from higher floors in Kota hostels to make the premises "suicide proof" to avoid tragic incidents.

The hostels in Rajasthan's Kota are now going to install "anti-suicide nets" in the balconies and lobbies to prevent students from taking any extreme steps. This comes after the hostels installed spring-loaded fans following the death of a student. Around two lakh students move to the coaching hub Kota annually to prepare for competitive exams such as the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) for engineering and the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to medical colleges, as per PTI.

Hostel owners said such steps to make their premises "suicide proof" are crucial to avoid tragic incidents. According to PTI, authorities say around 20 student suicides have occurred just in 2023 in Kota. Last year, the figure was 15.

The nets are installed in all lobbies and balconies to block students in case they jump from higher floors, the report said. The nets can hold a weight of up to 150 kg and also ensure that students do not get injured. 

Notably, an engineering aspirant from Bihar had recently committed suicide raising questions on the rising number of deaths in the coaching hub region.

Vinod Gautam, owner of Vishalakshi Residency, a girls' hostel with over 200 rooms spread across eight floors, hoped spring coils in fans and these nets would help prevent any untoward incident, he told PTI.

"Parents often panic and such measures will give them confidence as they are far away from their children," he told the news agency.

The nets are made of steel wires which are strong but “not largely visible”, they are very strong and it is not possible to cut or remove them without professional equipment similar to what many would find in multi-storey buildings in Mumbai, Gautam said, adding that while it can be costly, saving lives is more important. 

The "anti-suicide measure" of installing spring coils in fans was discussed on August 12 at a meeting between Kota officials and other stakeholders.

The coaching hub came back in focus after four Kota students committed suicide this month.

The Kota Hostels Association had discussed the measure in 2017. But it did not gain popularity with the estimated 25,000 paying guest facilities in the city, where thousands of students from across the country enrol at coaching centres every year to prepare for competitive exams.

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