12 students commit suicide in central India over exam results

At least 12 students have committed suicide in the central Indian state of Madhya over examination results since Friday, a senior police official said Sunday.

"The suicides were reported from across the state. The victims were all depressed over their poor performances in class X and XII exams conducted by the Madhya Pradesh education board," he said on condition of anonymity.

While three students, including a brother-sister duo, ended their lives in the state's Satna district, other suicides took place in Chhatarpur, Guna, Indore, Balaghat, Gwalior, Tikamgarh, Bhind, Jabalpur and Bhopal districts.

"While some died by hanging themselves from the ceiling fans in their homes, a few committed suicide by injecting themselves with toxic substance and others by drinking poison. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem," the official said.

It was not the first time that such a number of suicides have taken place in one state over exam results due to high stress that students encounter from their parents who expect their wards to score well to get admission in colleges for future studies.

More than 70 students have taken their lives in Kota, a town in the western state of Rajasthan, over the past five years for failing to pass the extremely competitive admission exams for medical and engineering colleges. Endit