Over 35,000 students committed suicide in the country between 2019 and 2021, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Abbaiah Narayanaswamy shared the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data in a written reply to a question regarding the number of Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students who committed suicide due to social discrimination in the country.

"(There is) no information regarding the number of SC, ST students who committed suicides due to the social discrimination in the country," Narayanaswamy said.

According to the data, the number of student suicides increased from 10,335 in 2019 to 12,526 in 2020 and 13,089 in 2021.

On the steps taken to prevent social discrimination, Narayanaswamy said the Department of Higher Education has established counselling cells and various mechanisms such as SC/ST students' cells, equal opportunity cells, students' grievance cells, students' grievance committee, and appointed liaison officers in educational institutions across the country.

"Further, the Protection of Civil Rights (PCR) Act, 1955, which prescribes punishment for enforcement of any disability arising from the practice of 'untouchability', and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 is in force to prevent the commission of offences of atrocities against members, including students, of SCs and STs," he said.

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