Survey finds 15% overwhelmed, nearly 10% suicidal among college students
A new nationwide survey shows that mental health struggles are hitting Indian college students hard.
About 15% experienced a period in the previous six months when they felt overwhelmed or distressed, and nearly one in 10 say they have had frequent suicidal thoughts in the past year.
The findings come as the Supreme Court-appointed task force prepares a major report on student well-being after the deaths of two students at IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay.
About 32% report no counseling services
The survey, covering over 2.43 lakh students, found that about 34% felt like an outsider on campus to varying degrees.
About 32% said their institution did not offer counseling services, even though 56% of students had trust in the administration to handle serious issues fairly.
Academic stress, packed schedules, and not enough support from faculty were common complaints.
The task force is now pushing for better mental health resources and fairer systems across campuses.