Church officials central Indian Madhya Pradesh state say they will set up a counseling facility to help students manage academic stress as a way to stop the increasing number of student suicides
"We have a dangerous trend in the state and the church can offer effective help," Father Stephen, the public relations officer of the church in the state told ucanews.com March 9.
There were 193 students who committed suicide in 2012 and that number increased to 218 in 2013 and 223 in 2014, according to the state minister for school education.
The church in the state has hundreds of schools and is a leading service provider in the field of education, Father Stephen said.
"We have several trained priests and nuns who can counsel distressed students," he added.
A counseling cell will be started first in Bhopal Archdiocese and will be extended to other dioceses later.