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Scroll.in
2 days ago
- Health
- Scroll.in
SC issues 15 guidelines to address student suicides, mental health in educational institutions
The Supreme Court on Friday issued 15 interim guidelines to address the rise in student suicides and mental health challenges in educational institutions across India, PTI reported. The guidelines include the appointment of trained counsellors and psychologists, the adoption of a uniform mental health policy and annual reviews of wellness interventions at such institutes. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta observed that there was a 'legislative and regulatory vacuum' regarding a unified, enforceable framework for suicide prevention in schools, colleges, coaching centres and similar environments. The court said the guidelines would remain in force and binding until suitable legislation or regulatory frameworks were introduced by the competent authority. The order came in response to an appeal against an Andhra Pradesh High Court decision that had rejected a request to transfer to the Central Bureau of Investigation a probe into the suspicious death of a 17-year-old National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test aspirant in Visakhapatnam. The Supreme Court directed the central agency to take over the investigation, according to The New Indian Express. Mental health safeguards The Supreme Court directed all educational institutions to adopt and implement a uniform mental health policy, drawing from the UMMEED draft guidelines, the Manodarpan initiative and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. It must be reviewed annually and made publicly available on institutional websites and notice boards. The draft UMMEED, or Understand, Motivate, Manage, Empathise, Empower, Develop guidelines were released in 2023 by the Union Ministry of Education to help prevent student suicides in schools. The Manodarpan initiative was launched to provide psychosocial support during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Suicide Prevention Strategy outlines roles for stakeholders in reducing suicide rates. Among other suggestions, the court said that institutions with more than 100 students must appoint qualified counsellors, psychologists or social workers trained in child and adolescent mental health. Smaller institutions may establish formal referral arrangements with external professionals. The court directed educational and coaching institutions to avoid practices that could harm students' mental well-being, such as public shaming, assigning academic targets that exceed students' capacity and segregating students into batches based on their academic performance. Residential institutions have been advised to install tamper-proof ceiling fans or other safety devices and restrict access to rooftops, balconies and similar high-risk areas to deter impulsive acts of self-harm. The court said that coaching hubs in cities such as Jaipur, Kota, Sikar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Mumbai must implement enhanced mental health protections. All teaching and non-teaching staff must undergo mandatory training twice a year, conducted by certified mental health professionals. These guidelines apply to all public and private schools, colleges, universities and coaching centres.
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.
