Over 13,800 suicide deaths among students in 2023, highest in 10 years: NCRB report

As many as 13,892 students took their own lives in India in 2023, according to National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) latest report, Accident Deaths and Suicides in India 2023, published on Monday, September 29, 2025. In absolute terms, this was the highest count in a decade. Students suicides accounted for 8.1% of the total in 2023.

The NCRB Report 2023 also revealed that 14,234 – 8.3% of the total – unemployed people died by suicide that year. This number was higher in 2022 – 15,783 individuals, making 9.2% of the total number of suicide deaths. A total of over 1.71 lakh victims took their lives in 2023.

The highest number of student suicides – 2,046 – was reported from Maharashtra, a large and populous state with the dubious distinction of having the highest share of all states, 14.7%. Other states with high counts of student suicide deaths are Madhya Pradesh (1,459), Uttar Pradesh (1,373) and Tamil Nadu (1,339).

The report also cited “failure in examination” as the main cause of suicides among children below 18 years of age; 1,303 took their own lives for this reason, 1.8% of the total. An equal number had unemployment as a reason.

The age groups of 18-30 years and 30-45 years were the most vulnerable.

Also read ‘Beyond Kota and IIT exams’: Student suicides have more than board exams, academic pressure behind them

NCRB Report: Increase in student suicides

In absolute terms, the number of student suicides has rise 72.9% from 2014 to 2023, show NCRB reports for those years. As many as 848 more students took their own lives in 2023 than the previous year. Even this was the third highest increase in the decade – 2020 saw the count rise by over 2,100 and 2015 by over 900. The number fell slightly in 2022.

In 2023, the share of students in the total number of suicides grew by 0.5 percentage points.

NCRB Reports: Student suicides over 10 years (2014-2023)

Source: NCRB reports, various years

Also read ‘Nobody cares’: Long hours, supervisors’ control add to PhD scholars’ mental health crisis at top institutes

Suicides among unemployed individuals

In 2023, 8.3% of those who died by suicide were unemployed. This group’s share has decreased compared to the 2022 figure, with 1,891 fewer deaths. This number of suicides in this group was highest in 2020 and 2022 with over 15,500 deaths in each of those years.

NCRB Report: Suicides among unemployed individuals (2015-2023)

Source: NCRB reports, various years

Also read IIT Kanpur lost 5 bright students in 18 months; AIRSA demands mental health support, financial aid

Suicides and education

The report released on Monday stated that the maximum number of suicide victims in 2023 – 24.6% – were educated up to secondary level. 18.6% of those who took their own lives had studied till middle school.

Distribution by education level (2023)

The report shows that only 5.5% of suicide victims were at least graduates.

If you know someone – friend or family member – at risk of suicide, please reach out to them. Those in distress or having suicidal thoughts or tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling 9820466726 or visiting AASRA’s official website or can call iCALL on 9152987821. Here are some more helpline numbers of suicide prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.