Rising Suicide Rates in India: A Growing Public Health Crisis

Sujata Gautam

(sujatagautam2017@gmail.com)

The rising suicide rates in India have emerged as one of the most pressing public health challenges, claiming thousands of lives each year. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported approximately 171,000 suicide deaths in 2022, a sharp increase from about 134,516 in 2018. This steep rise over four years marks the highest number recorded in more than a decade, affecting all regions, age groups, and socio-economic backgrounds. Globally, over 720,000 people die by suicide annually, making it the third leading cause of death among 15- to 29-year-olds. Alarmingly, 73% of global suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries, with India contributing significantly. The causes are complex and multifactorial, involving social, cultural, biological, psychological, and environmental factors. For every suicide, many more attempts occur, and a prior attempt remains one of the strongest risk factors for death by suicide. Although full NCRB reports for 2023, 2024, and 2025 are awaited, emerging data and localised reports indicate that suicide remains a grave concern. In Kota, Rajasthan, student suicides saw a temporary 50% drop in 2024 due to strengthened interventions but recorded six cases in early 2025 in January alone. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) reported a 40% decline in suicides among personnel in 2024, from 25 cases in 2023 to 15, credited to targeted mental health programmes and the Project Mann helpline. However, helpline data from major Indian cities revealed a steep 126% increase in calls from urban men between 2020 and 2024, mostly linked to anxiety and relationship issues. Early indicators also suggest financial stress, academic pressure, and online betting addiction remain significant distress factors. The steady rise in suicides paints a worrying picture. India recorded 134,516 cases in 2018, 139,000 in 2019, 150,000 in 2020, and 164,000 in 2021, peaking at nearly 171,000 in 2022. Experts attribute the sharp increase during 2020-2021 partly to the COVID-19 pandemic, which worsened isolation and financial insecurities. NCRB data show that young and middle-aged adults are most affected. In 2022, 67% of suicides were among individuals aged 18-45, with 35% in the 18-30 group and 32% in the 30-45 group. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among those aged 15-29 years, responsible for 17.1% of deaths in this demographic. Gender differences are also stark: men constitute 72.5% of suicides, compared to 27.5% of women. The male suicide rate is 14.2 per 100,000 population, more than double the female rate of 6.6. Economically disadvantaged groups are disproportionately affected, with daily wage labourers accounting for 26% of suicides, housewives 15%, self-employed individuals 11%, and salaried employees 10%. State-wise variations are marked: Sikkim had the highest suicide rate in 2022 at 43.1 per 100,000, followed by Andaman & Nicobar Islands (42.8 per thousand), Puducherry (29.7 thousand), Kerala (28.5 thousand), and Chhattisgarh (28.2 thousand). Bihar recorded the lowest rate at just 0.6 per 100,000. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Madhya Pradesh together contributed nearly one-third of all suicides, with Maharashtra alone reporting over 22,700 deaths.

Mental health issues remain a leading cause. Suicides linked to mental health have risen by 44% between 2018 and 2022. Among youth aged 18-30, family problems, love affairs, and marital discord contributed to nearly half of suicides. Family-related stress alone caused 32.4% of cases, followed by love affairs (8%) and marriage-related issues (7.5%). Economic distress, including indebtedness and unemployment, accounted for 14% of suicides, while alcohol and substance abuse contributed another 14%. Student suicides, comprising 7.6% of the total, have been rising at an annual rate of 4%, driven by academic pressure, exam failures, and parental expectations. In terms of methods, hanging is the most common, accounting for 58.2% of suicides in 2022, up from 49.8% in 2017. Poisoning, including pesticide ingestion, remains the second most common method, though its share decreased from 27.5% in 2017 to 25.4% in 2022. International evidence shows that restricting access to lethal means such as pesticides and certain medications can reduce suicide rates. To address this alarming trend, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) launched the National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS) in 2022, aiming to reduce suicide mortality by 10% by 2030. NSPS focuses on early identification, crisis management, and mental health promotion, including mental health screenings in schools and colleges, 24/7 crisis helplines, and awareness programmes to reduce stigma. It also calls for stronger workplace mental health initiatives and targeted support for high-risk groups like students, farmers, daily wage labourers, and young adults. The Ministry of Education has introduced the UMMEED Guidelines (Understand, Motivate, Manage, Empathise, Empower, Develop) to address self-harm and suicide among students. These aim to create a supportive educational environment, encouraging early identification of distress, building resilience, and fostering empathy and care within schools and colleges. The Ayushman Bharat (AB) scheme has also integrated mental health into service delivery. Its Health and Wellness Centres, now known as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, provide home, community, outreach, and primary healthcare for mental, neurological, and substance use disorders. Additionally, the PM Jan Arogya Yojana offers health assurance coverage for mental health conditions, ensuring financial support for those requiring treatment. Other government measures include the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, which decriminalised attempted suicide by striking down Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code and mandated free mental healthcare and rehabilitation services. Helplines such as Tele-MANAS and KIRAN have further strengthened support systems. Since October 2022, Tele-MANAS has operated across 36 states and Union Territories with over 51 centres, handling more than 1.8 million calls in 20 languages. Similarly, the KIRAN helpline, launched in 2020, provides crisis counselling in 13 regional languages and employs more than 600 trained professionals. Non-governmental organizations are also filling critical gaps. Programmes like SPIRIT and Outlive by the Centre for Mental Health Law & Policy train gatekeepers to identify and support at-risk individuals. The Suicide Prevention India Foundation (SPIF) conducts gatekeeper training in communities and workplaces to raise awareness and promote early intervention. Despite these initiatives, India faces severe challenges. The country has only 0.75 psychiatrists per 100,000 people, far below the World Health Organization’s recommended ratio of three per 100,000. This translates into a shortage of nearly 27,000 mental health professionals. Implementation of the Mental Healthcare Act is uneven, and underreporting of suicides continues to distort the true scale of the problem. Rural and marginalized communities, in particular, face significant barriers to accessing mental health services. Educational institutions also remain under-resourced, with many schools and universities lacking adequate counselling support.

To reverse the growing suicide rates, India must adopt a multi-pronged strategy. The number of trained mental health professionals must be increased through greater investment in training and recruitment. Schools and universities should integrate life skills and stress management programmes into curricula, with mandatory counselling services. Models like the “Happy Schooling” initiative in Madurai, which prioritises emotional well-being and teacher training, should be scaled nationally. Community-based programmes should be expanded to reduce stigma and build awareness around mental health. Restricting access to common means of suicide, particularly pesticides, could also save lives. Finally, the government must improve data collection and reporting systems to enable evidence-based policymaking and interventions.

The rising suicide rates in India constitute a public health emergency that demands urgent and coordinated action. The issue is complex, cutting across age, gender, and socio-economic divides, but young adults, daily wage labourers, and students remain especially at risk. While government strategies such as NSPS, UMMEED Guidelines, Ayushman Bharat, and community initiatives have laid an important foundation, far more needs to be done to address root causes. A comprehensive approach that expands mental health care, builds strong community support systems, and removes the stigma surrounding suicide is essential. Only with such efforts can India hope to reverse this alarming trend and create a society where mental well-being is prioritised and lives are protected.