Series Of Students’ Suicides Puts Under Lens Parenting, Coping Skills

TIRUPATI: Numerous suicides by students in recent times have raised serious concerns with parents suspecting their parenting abilities. Mental health experts attribute the trend to emotional fragility among children due to lack of coping skills.

In several cases, reasons for suicides are relatively minor, even though academic pressure continues to dominate the students’ life. Some students are unable to withstand scolding by parents. Others take extreme steps following failed relationships.

According to records, of the eight student suicides reported in Tirupati district in 2024, three had been because parents scolded them. In 2025, academic pressure turned out to be the factor in five cases. In the current year so far, six students have died by suicide, four being related to failed romantic relationships.

These incidents have raised questions about emotional resilience among young people. “Many parents today tend to protect children from discomfort. They are being raised without exposure to rejection or criticism in a gradual manner. When they face it suddenly, they are unable to handle it,” said Dr. S. Bharathi, a psychiatrist working with children and teenagers.

She pointed out that though children are often given comfort and support, they are not guided on how to deal with failures. This makes it difficult for them to handle even small setbacks.

Overall, suicides in Tirupati district have been increasing over the years. The number rose from 241 in 2023 to 323 in 2024 and 347 in 2025. In January 2026 alone, 31 suicides had been reported. Officials say while these figures include all age groups, the number of students and young people among them is a matter of concern.

Parents, who have lost their children to suicides, are in deep regret. They have questions about their own approach to parenting. Many feel they should have focused more on protecting their children from difficulties than preparing them to face difficulties.

“I only told my son to reduce his gaming and focus on studies. I thought it is a normal thing to say. I did not know he would take it so seriously,” said a father.

In several cases, parents fail to notice the intensity of what their children are going through until it is too late. What appears as normal teenage behaviour or temporary sadness turns out to be a deep emotional distress that remains unspoken at home. “We always tried to keep her happy and away from problems. But when she faced one, she could not manage it,” said a mother who lost her daughter after a relationship issue.

According to health experts, children who rarely hear ‘no’ or face consequences may find even small criticism difficult to handle. They point out that resilience develops through experience rather than comfort. They say such children struggle when faced with real-life setbacks.

Experts also point to the influence of social media and cinema, which promote idealised views of success and relationships, making it harder for young people to cope when reality falls short. They underline that children should be taught to handle failure early, with parents spending time with them and communicating openly. In addition, schools must focus not only on academics but also on life skills.