AMC Tragedies Renew Focus On Students’ Mental Health

Visakhapatnam: The death of two postgraduate medical students of Andhra Medical College within a span of five days has triggered concern among students, parents and faculty, prompting the state government to order a detailed inquiry.

A 27-year-old first-year postgraduate student of the ENT department was found dead at her rented accommodation in the Chinawaltair area on Sept 28. On Sept 24, a final-year MD General Medicine student was found dead at her residence in Ramnagar.

The police have registered cases and are investigating the circumstances surrounding both deaths.

Health minister Satyakumar Yadav has asked the director of Medical Education to conduct a comprehensive inquiry.

According to police officials, the first-year PG student, who hailed from Hyderabad, had expressed reservations about continuing her course and had recently sought the return of her academic certificates. The college authorities said she had submitted a letter stating that she did not wish to continue the course. Following this, she was counselled by the staff.

Family members said she had spoken about difficulties related to her studies. However, the college authorities said no formal complaint about academic, personal, or institutional issues had been brought to their notice.

In the earlier case, the final-year MD General Medicine student was preparing for her examinations. Her family members suspected that examination-related stress may have contributed to her distress. Officials said the matter was under investigation.

AMC principal Dr KVSM Sandhyadevi described the incidents as concerning. She said the institution had counselling mechanisms in place and was making efforts to support students facing emotional or academic challenges.

Officials noted that another postgraduate student had died earlier this year, taking the number of reported student deaths at the institution to three in the last three months.

The incidents have renewed discussions about mental health challenges faced by students pursuing professional and higher education courses.

The concern comes against the backdrop of findings from a nationwide survey conducted by a Supreme Court-appointed National Task Force examining student suicides and mental health in higher educational institutions. The survey, which received responses from more than 2.43 lakh students, found that about 15 per cent of the respondents had experienced a period of severe stress, anxiety or emotional distress in the previous six months. Around 9 per cent reported experiencing suicidal thoughts frequently during the past year.

Established in 1923, Andhra Medical College is among the country's oldest medical institutions. The recent incidents have led to renewed demands from parents and student groups for greater attention to student well-being and mental health support on campuses.