On October 23rd local time, a university in Surat, India installed 388 fans with special spring safety devices in nine dormitory buildings, as a measure to prevent students from using ceiling fans to commit suicide.
According to reports from the 'Indian Times' and others, this fan is equipped with a special spring. When the downward force on the fan exceeds 10 kilograms, the spring releases its tension instantly, causing the fan to tilt downward. The system simultaneously cuts off the power supply, thereby preventing students from attempting suicide by hanging themselves.
On that day, the vice principal of the school, Kishorsinh Chavda, demonstrated to the media and students how a spring suddenly broke off and the power supply was cut off by wrapping a fan with a sheet of paper and pulling it downwards.
Currently, this project covers 5 female dormitories and 4 male dormitories, with 170 and 218 fans installed respectively. Chaffa revealed that the price of each fan exceeds 2500 rupees.
Indian media reported that behind this seemingly absurd "suicide prevention" measure lies the increasingly serious problem of suicide among Indian college students, which has become a social crisis that attracts national attention. India faces a shortage of higher education resources, and the competition for entrance exams is fierce. Many students from ordinary families carry the economic and psychological burden of their entire families, who may have to sell their assets in order to change their fate. When faced with poor performance in mock exams, caste discrimination on campus, or psychological bullying by mentors, these students are highly susceptible to mental breakdown in an environment where psychological counseling is severely lacking.
The famous "Tutoring Capital of India" Kota, as well as top institutions like the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), have frequently made international news in recent years due to high numbers of students committing suicide. According to statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in India, the number of student suicides has exceeded 10,000 each year in recent years: in 2023, there were 13,892 student suicides, and in 2024, this number further rose to 14,488.
