Suicide among children and adolescents in India as a public mental health priority

Suicide among children and adolescents (≤ 18 years old) is a growing public health concern in India, contributing to an alarming 6% of total suicides reported in 2022. Despite policy efforts, systemic gaps in prevention, reporting, and mental health infrastructure persist.

This paper uses secondary data from the Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI) reports (2014-2023) published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) to map the key trends and key drivers of suicide among youth in India. Descriptive report estimates on suicide data among individuals aged 0-18 years were categorised by gender, cause, and year. To interpret the underlying drivers of suicide, we applied the Socio-Ecological Model (SEM), which organises risk factors across four levels: individual, interpersonal, community, and societal.

Between 2014 and 2023, a total of 100,787 children died by suicide in India, with female children consistently outnumbering males. The most frequently reported causes were family-related problems (25,049), followed by academic failure (12,988), love affairs (12,988), and mental illness (6143). Nearly 29% of suicides were attributed to unknown or "other" causes, indicating gaps in documentation.

Suicide among Indian children and adolescents is driven by multifaceted structural and psychosocial factors. A Bronfenbrenner's socio-ecological approach reveals multiple points of intervention, including school-based mental health services, family support programs, anti-stigma initiatives, and community-level capacity building. A coordinated public health response tailored to each SEM level is essential to reverse current trends and safeguard child mental health.