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Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Ban on marks-based segregation among key SC guidelines to combat student suicide
The Supreme Court on Friday issued sweeping national guidelines mandating psychological safeguards and regulatory oversight across all educational institutions. The move comes in response to a disturbing rise in student suicides, described by the Court as a 'systemic failure that cannot be ignored.' The move comes in response to a disturbing rise in student suicides, described by the Supreme Court as a systemic failure that cannot be ignored.(AI-generated image) The ruling, delivered by a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, applies to schools, colleges, universities, private coaching centres, training academies, and hostels. Drawing powers from Articles 32 and 141 of the Constitution, the Court's guidelines are to be treated as the law of the land until formal legislation is enacted. Tragic catalyst The judgment stems from the case of a 17-year-old NEET aspirant, referred to as Ms X, who died by suicide in July 2023 while preparing for medical entrance exams at Aakash Byju's Institute in Visakhapatnam. The Court, responding to her father's petition, transferred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), overturning an earlier dismissal by the Andhra Pradesh High Court. The Court noted that distress among India's youth points to a deeper 'structural malaise' in the country's educational ecosystem. Data from the National Crime Records Bureau revealed that India recorded 170,924 suicides in 2022, with students accounting for 7.6% — approximately 13,044 — of those deaths. Of these, over 2,200 were linked directly to examination failures. Key guidelines issued To combat this crisis, the Supreme Court laid down a set of uniform mental health policies for all educational institutions, based on government frameworks like UMMEED, MANODARPAN, and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. The key directives include: Mandatory Mental Health Professionals: Institutions with over 100 students must employ at least one qualified mental health professional (psychologist, counsellor, or social worker). Smaller institutions must have formal referral systems to external experts. Suicide Helplines: Helpline numbers, including Tele-MANAS, must be prominently displayed in campuses, hostels, common areas, and websites. End to Performance-Based Segregation: Coaching centres and schools must eliminate batch segregation based on performance, public shaming, and aggressive academic targeting. Staff Training: All staff must be trained at least twice a year in psychological first aid, warning sign identification, and referral mechanisms. Special sensitivity training is mandated for working with marginalised groups including SC, ST, OBC, EWS, LGBTQ+ students, and those with disabilities or trauma histories. Safe Infrastructure: Residential institutions must install tamper-proof ceiling fans and restrict rooftop and balcony access to deter impulsive self-harm. Reporting & Support Mechanisms: Institutions are required to have confidential systems for reporting sexual assault, ragging, and discrimination based on caste, gender, religion, or orientation — with immediate psychosocial support. Holistic Development: The Court urged educational institutions to reduce exam-related pressure by broadening definitions of success, promoting extracurricular activities, and ensuring interest-based career counselling for students and parents. Regulatory mandates The Court also addressed the need for regulatory clarity: These guidelines will remain binding until Parliament or state legislatures enact a comprehensive legal framework. All States and Union Territories must frame rules within two months to regulate private coaching centres and ensure student safety. The Central Government must file a compliance affidavit within 90 days detailing steps taken, coordination with state authorities, and progress made by the National Task Force on student mental health. Focus on high-risk regions Coaching hubs like Kota, Jaipur, Sikar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Mumbai, where intense academic environments prevail, have been singled out for priority mental health interventions and stronger preventive infrastructure.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Hindustan Times
SC issues nationwide norms amid rising student suicides
The Supreme Court on Friday issued sweeping nationwide guidelines mandating mental health safeguards, mandatory counsellors, and regulatory frameworks for all educational institutions across India, responding to an alarming rise in student suicides. The Supreme Court ruling delivered by justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta covers private coaching centres, schools, colleges, universities, training academies, and hostels, describing the situation as a 'systemic failure that cannot be ignored.' (HT) The ruling by justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta covers private coaching centres, schools, colleges, universities, training academies, and hostels, describing the situation as a 'systemic failure that cannot be ignored.' The judgment held that the gravity of the crisis warranted constitutional intervention, as it drew upon powers under Article 32 of the Constitution to enforce fundamental rights, and treating its pronouncement as the law of the land under Article 141. The ruling emerged from the case of a 17-year-old NEET aspirant, identified as Ms X, who died at a hostel while preparing for medical entrance examinations at Aakash Byju's Institute in Visakhapatnam on July 14, 2023. The court has ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation to take over the probe after the girl's father challenged an Andhra Pradesh High Court order of February 14, 2024, that had dismissed his plea for CBI investigation. The bench noted such distress among young people was 'emblematic of a deeper, structural malaise that afflicts India's educational ecosystem,' citing 'deeply distressing' National Crime Records Bureau data showing India recorded 170,924 suicide cases in 2022, of which 7.6% — approximately 13,044 — were student suicides. Of these, 2,248 deaths were attributed directly to examination failures. 'These figures, taken in conjunction with emerging patterns of distress in educational institutions, coaching centres, and residential educational institutions, point to a systemic failure in addressing students' emotional and mental health needs,' the court observed. The guidelines mandate that all educational institutions adopt uniform mental health policies based on existing government initiatives including UMMEED draft guidelines, the MANODARPAN mental health programme, and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. These policies must be publicly available and updated annually. 'There remains a legislative and regulatory vacuum in the country with respect to a unified, enforceable framework for suicide prevention of students in educational institutions, coaching centres, and student-centric environments,' it noted to justify its directions. Institutions with more than 100 students must appoint at least one qualified mental health professional — a psychologist, counsellor, or social worker. Smaller institutions must establish formal referral linkages with external mental health experts. To ensure consistent support, mentors or counsellors must be assigned to smaller groups of students, especially during examination periods and transition phases. The court specifically targeted coaching institutes, directing them to discourage batch segregation based on academic performance, public shaming, and unrealistic academic targets. Helpline numbers, including Tele-MANAS suicide prevention services, must be prominently displayed in hostels, classrooms, and common spaces. All teaching and non-teaching staff must undergo mandatory training at least twice yearly in identifying warning signs, psychological first aid, and referral protocols. Training must include sensitive engagement with vulnerable groups: students from SC, ST, OBC, and EWS categories, LGBTQ+ communities, students with disabilities, and those experiencing trauma or bereavement. Institutions must establish confidential mechanisms for reporting sexual assault, ragging, and harassment based on caste, gender, disability, religion, or sexual orientation, with immediate psycho-social support access. The court warned that failure to act promptly in cases leading to self-harm or suicide would constitute 'institutional culpability' with legal consequences. The court directed that parents and guardians be actively involved through regular sensitisation sessions designed to reduce undue academic pressure and promote supportive home environments. Institutions must integrate mental health literacy and life skills into orientation programmes and extracurricular activities. To reduce intense academic pressure, institutions must prioritise extracurricular development, periodically review examination formats, and broaden success definitions beyond ranks and test scores. Structured, inclusive career counselling must be provided to both students and parents to enable interest-based choices and reduce pressure towards conventional career paths. For residential facilities, enhanced physical safety measures are required, including tamper-proof ceiling fans and restricted rooftop access to deter impulsive self-harm acts. Major coaching hubs — Kota, Jaipur, Sikar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Mumbai — where students migrate in large numbers, were singled out for heightened preventive and counselling infrastructure. States and Union territories have two months to notify rules mandating registration and student protection norms for private coaching centres. District-level monitoring committees under District Magistrates will oversee implementation, conduct inspections, and receive complaints. The Union government has 90 days to file a compliance affidavit detailing implementation steps, regulatory rule-making status for coaching centres, coordination mechanisms with state governments, and timelines for the National Task Force's final report. Despite existing Centre initiatives, the court identified a 'legislative and regulatory vacuum in the country with respect to a unified, enforceable framework for suicide prevention of students in educational institutions, coaching centres, and student-centric environments,' necessitating immediate judicial intervention under India's constitutional and international mental health commitments. The next hearing is scheduled for October 27.
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- New Indian Express
SC issues 15 nationwide guidelines to curb student suicides and improve mental health in educational institutions
NEW DELHI: In a significant judgment, the Supreme Court on Friday issued 15 pan-India guidelines to address the rising incidents of suicide, safety concerns, and mental health issues among students in educational institutions. The top court's verdict came in response to an appeal against an Andhra Pradesh High Court order, which had rejected a plea to transfer to the CBI the investigation into the death of a 17-year-old National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) aspirant under suspicious circumstances while preparing in Visakhapatnam. The Supreme Court has now ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the case. A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta delivered the verdict and issued the 15 guidelines, stating that these measures will remain in force and binding until appropriate legislation or regulatory frameworks are enacted by the competent authorities. Key guidelines issued by the Supreme Court All educational institutions must adopt and implement a uniform mental health policy, drawing from the UMMEED Draft Guidelines, the MANODARPAN initiative, and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. This policy must be reviewed annually and made publicly accessible on institutional websites and notice boards. Institutions with 100 or more enrolled students must appoint at least one qualified counsellor, psychologist, or social worker with demonstrable training in child and adolescent mental health. Smaller institutions must establish formal referral linkages with professionals. All institutions must ensure optimal student-to-counsellor ratios. Dedicated mentors or counsellors should be assigned to smaller student batches, especially during exam periods or academic transitions, to offer consistent, informal, and confidential support. Coaching and educational institutions are directed to refrain from batch segregation based on academic performance, public shaming, or assigning academic targets that exceed a student's capacity. Institutions must have written protocols for immediate referral to mental health services, hospitals, and suicide prevention helplines. These helpline numbers, including Tele-MANAS and other national services, must be prominently displayed in hostels, classrooms, common areas, and on websites in large, legible print. All residential institutions must install tamper-proof ceiling fans or equivalent safety devices and restrict access to rooftops, balconies, and other high-risk areas to deter impulsive acts of self-harm. Coaching hubs, such as those in Jaipur, Kota, Sikar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Mumbai must implement enhanced mental health protections. These cities, known for high concentrations of competitive exam aspirants, have seen disproportionately high student suicide rates and thus require focused preventive efforts. All teaching and non-teaching staff must undergo mandatory training at least twice a year, conducted by certified mental health professionals. The training should cover psychological first aid, identifying warning signs, response to self-harm, and referral procedures. Institutions must establish robust, confidential, and accessible systems to report and address incidents of sexual assault, harassment, ragging, and other grievances. Internal committees must be formed to act immediately on complaints and provide psychosocial support to victims. Zero tolerance must be maintained toward any retaliatory actions against complainants or whistle-blowers. These guidelines apply to all educational institutions across India, including public and private schools, colleges, universities, training centres, coaching institutes, residential academies, and hostels, regardless of their affiliation. The court clarified that these guidelines are issued in parallel with the ongoing work of the National Task Force on Mental Health Concerns of Students and serve as an interim protective framework. All institutions must maintain anonymised records and prepare an annual report detailing wellness interventions, student referrals, training sessions, and mental health-related activities. This report must be submitted to the relevant regulatory authority, such as the State Education Department, UGC, AICTE, or CBSE. Regular, structured career counselling sessions must be provided to students and their parents or guardians. These sessions, conducted by qualified counsellors should aim to reduce unrealistic academic pressure, promote awareness of diverse academic and professional pathways, and help students make informed, interest-based decisions. The counselling must be inclusive, socio-economically sensitive, and avoid reinforcing narrow definitions of merit or success.
India Today
22-07-2025
- Health
- India Today
One in 13 suicides in India in 2022 was of a student: Government data
Student suicides accounted for 7.6% of all suicides reported across the country in 2022. While this marked a slight drop from 8.0% in 2021 and 8.2% in 2020, the numbers still point to a deeply worrying trend. The data, drawn from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), was shared in the national parliament this week by the Minister of State for figures reveal more than just statistics. They show a burden silently carried by young minds, many of whom are struggling in ways that go departments, particularly the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, have stepped in with new efforts. One such step is the 'MANODARPAN' initiative, a programme offering psychological support through counselling helplines and live programme has already reached a large number of students across the this, the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) has been expanded to cover 767 focuses on suicide prevention and teaches life skills in both schools and colleges. Mental health is also being tied closely with addiction EFFORTS ADDRESS A GROWING CONCERNRecognising the rise of substance abuse among youth, the government has launched stronger anti-drug education bodies, including the University Grants Commission (UGC), have asked institutions to take responsibility for student well-being. The emphasis is now on physical fitness, mental strength, and emotional are encouraged to introduce sports, wellness programmes, and stress management activities on leading technical institutions have already started to respond. IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, and IIT Guwahati have begun workshops on mental resilience for students and teachers under the Malaviya Mission Teacher Training are important steps. But what remains is the question of everyday care, how teachers, parents, and classmates can spot signs of distress, and how communities can support young people not just when they fall, but before they begin to is not just a policy issue. It is a quiet crisis that needs listening, not just planning.(WITH INPUTS FROM PTI)- Ends
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
India reports 7.6% student suicide rate in 2022, prompting stronger mental health initiatives
NEW DELHI: Student suicides made up 7.6 per cent of all suicide cases reported across India in 2022, showing a slight dip from 8.0 per cent in 2021 and 8.2 per cent in 2020, according to official data shared in Lok Sabha. Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar shared the data from Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI) report published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in response to a written question in the Lower House. The minister informed that multi-pronged measures were being rolled out to address the crisis, including psychological support for students, teachers and families. "The ministry of education's flagship programme, MANODARPAN, has reached lakhs of students through counselling helplines and live interactive sessions, while the ministry of health and family welfare's district mental health programme (DMHP) covers 767 districts with suicide prevention services and life skills training in schools and colleges," he said. Recognising the role of addiction as an emerging issue among youth, the Centre has intensified anti-drug campaigns alongside mental health outreach. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued advisories to higher education institutions to prioritise physical fitness, sports, student welfare and emotional well-being. Institutions like IIT-Madras, IIT-Delhi and IIT-Guwahati have begun conducting workshops on stress management and resilience under the Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Programme, he added. Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
