Suicide remains one of the top two causes of death among young Indians aged 15–29, according to cause of death data from the Office of the Registrar General of India, as reported by The Times of India.
In the period between 2020 and 2022, suicides accounted for 17.1 percent or roughly one in six of all deaths in this age group, second only to road accidents.
While cardiovascular diseases, respiratory infections, and cancers dominate the top causes of death across all age groups in India, suicide doesn’t even make it to the top ten. Yet, for the young, it remains a disproportionately large threat.
Globally, suicide is the third leading cause of death among people aged 15–29, as per World Health Organisation (WHO) data, reinforcing that this is not just a national but an international public health crisis.
The TOI report notes a persistent gender gap, though the difference is narrowing. Between 2020 and 2022, suicide accounted for 18.2 percent of all deaths among young women and 16.3 percent among young men.
A decade ago, between 2010 and 2013, the numbers stood at 21.8 percent for women and 15 percent for men, indicating a steeper decline in female suicide rates over time.
Even though the 15–29 age group contributes to just 5 percent of total deaths in India, the concentration of suicide within this group is alarming.
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