Data | TN ranks highest in suicides among government employees

Tamil Nadu has recorded the second-highest number of suicides, according to the last published report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) for 2021. With 18,925 suicides, the State is ranked only next to Maharashtra (22,207)

While it is known that the State’s suicide rate is among the highest in the country, further analysis of NCRB data from 2017 to 2021 showed that Tamil Nadu witnessed a sharp increase in suicides of government employees in 2020 and 2021. The State recorded the highest number of suicides of government employees in the country in these two years. 

Nearly one in every five suicides of government employees reported in the country in 2021 was from Tamil Nadu. NCRB records the suicides of government servants and employees of public sector undertakings (PSUs) separately.

This graph shows the number of suicides of “Professionals/Salaried Persons” in 2021 in the five States that recorded the highest number of suicides among government servants. 

This graph shows the suicides among government employees, including those from PSUs, in Tamil Nadu and rest of the country from 2017 to 2021. The increase seen across the country in 2019 and 2020 was mainly driven by the increase in Tamil Nadu. 

This graph shows the suicides among government employees in Tamil Nadu, with respect to the sector in which they worked. The sharp increase in the suicides among those in the PSUs is of particular concern. 

(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050)