Supreme Court issues guidelines to prevent student suicides
What's the story
The Supreme Court of India has issued a set of 15 guidelines to tackle the alarming rise in student suicides across educational institutions. The move comes after a hearing in a case involving the death of a 17-year-old NEET aspirant in Andhra Pradesh. The court observed that academic stress, exam pressure, and lack of institutional support are major factors contributing to these tragedies.
Mental health focus
Guidelines include mandatory mental health training for teaching staff
The Supreme Court's guidelines include mandatory mental health training for all teaching and non-teaching staff at least twice a year. This training will be conducted by certified mental health professionals and will cover psychological first aid, identifying distress signals, self-harm response, and referral processes. The court also emphasized the need for dedicated mentors or counselors to provide informal and confidential support to students during critical academic periods.
Institutional responsibility
Court directs institutions to set up internal committees
The guidelines also mandate educational institutions to set up internal committees for complaints related to sexual harassment, ragging, and other grievances. These committees will provide psycho-social support to affected students. The court also directed institutions to sensitize parents and integrate mental health literacy into student activities. Suicide helpline numbers should be displayed prominently in hostels and classrooms, the court added.
Data-driven approach
Guidelines based on data from National Crime Records Bureau
The guidelines are based on data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), which reported 13,044 student suicides in 2022. The court highlighted systemic gaps that need urgent attention and called for institutional safeguards against psychological distress and academic pressure. The bench, comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta, stressed these measures should remain in force until appropriate legislation is enacted.
Ongoing efforts
Guidelines to be implemented across all educational institutions in India
The Supreme Court's decision also aligns with the work of a national task force on student mental health, headed by retired Justice Ravindra S Bhat. The guidelines are to be implemented across all educational institutions in India, including schools, colleges, universities, and coaching centers. States and union territories are required to notify rules mandating registration and grievance redressal mechanisms for private coaching centers within two months.