Rajasthan— The fear of failure, coupled with the pressure to succeed, has led many students to question their own self-worth and to feel overwhelmed and helpless. The constant focus on results and the pressure to perform at all costs has created a toxic environment that has left many young people struggling with anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. The situation has reached a critical point, with students calling for urgent action to address the crisis and to provide the support and resources they need to thrive.

In one such case, Tanishka, a 10th grader, from Kota has written a letter to PM Narendra Modi, expressing her concerns about the stress and anxiety faced by students in the educational city. In her letter, she called for greater kindness and support, and urged the government to take action to address the mental health crisis.

Speaking to The Mooknayak, Tanishka shared her fears about the mounting pressure on students that is rendering them helpless and prone to suicidal tendencies. "We are not just statistics; we are human beings with dreams and aspirations," she said. "We deserve to be treated with kindness and respect, and we deserve a system that supports the mental health and wellbeing of the larger student community. I just hope my letter makes some difference." Tanishka sounded hopeful.

Tanishka's uncle, Dr. Bhupendra Bharadwaj, a senior official at the Animal Husbandry Department, told The Mooknayak that the family has been observing and is concerned about a behavioral change in Tanishka, who had been quite a cheerful and talkative girl earlier. Unlike the girls of her age, Tanishka spends more time writing and has been penning many poems related to the mental agony of teenagers and youths lately. Her elder brother is pursuing a BTech degree at IIT-Pune. Tanishka's father is a judicial officer and hence due to the transferrable job, the girl had to shift schools frequently. Apart from writing, Tanishka is passionate about playing musical instruments and is also a good dancer.

Kota's test preparation industry

The district of Kota, serves as a hub for the country's test-preparation industry. The district has been estimated to rake in a staggering ₹5,000 crore annually. Thousands of students from all corners of the country descend upon this bustling town, fresh from their Class X examinations, eager to enroll in residential test-preparation institutes. These institutes primarily prepare them for their Class XII examinations, but more importantly, for entrance exams such as the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). However, for some, the daily grind can take its toll, especially as they are far removed from the comforts of their homes.

According to official government records, a harrowing total of 22 students have perished in Kota since the beginning of 2022. An alarming 121 fatalities have been recorded since 2011, painting a somber picture of the arduous journey that awaits the young minds of the country in their pursuit of excellence.

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Tanishka's Uncut Letter to The PM

Kota, Rajasthan,

5th March 2023

The Prime Minister

Delhi, India

Respected sir,

Observing things is something I admire the most and there is one thing I have started noticing which is that something is genuinely upsetting our generation and I am writing this letter concerning that subject

Waking up, and facing the world is the thing that makes lots of teens anxious these days. They are terrified, insecure and tensed enough to not live to their fullest instead these miserable thoughts are silently eating them up. If we magnify into this then it is clearly visible that there are some flaws in our society and in our mindset too. We as a society are putting tremendous pressure on them to be perfect but not there true self, we keep comparing them to their peers and judge them dreadfully resulting in depression, social anxiety and numerous other disorders. Talking about social anxiety it is a very fragile topic but not fragile than the hearts of those kids who suffer through social anxiety. In in this case your brain is constantly sending signals of fear down your spine and you are perpetually worried about the judgements people make, adding to it you are always uncomfortable and try to hide your existence around social gathering. It can also guide you towards suicidal thoughts and if the symptoms are ignored one can start getting panic attacks which can even result in death. Coming to depression, it is a feeling of numbness clouding your heart. One cries till all their tears fell down, as all those things they never said and feelings they never felt. Depression can last till death tears the individual apart.

In conclusion we can stop these small kids to feel such terrible stuff just by some simple act of kindness. We all can treat each other better and help them by standing with them in there tough Times. Humanity is the only thing that can keep this decreasing world alive.

As the situation is not probably the best therefore I would like you to highlight this issue and raise awareness about it.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

Tanishka Sharma.