Supreme Court Issues 15 Guidelines to Address Alarming Rise in Student Suicides

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday released a comprehensive set of 15 guidelines aimed at tackling the growing number of student suicides in India. The directions apply to all educational settings including schools, colleges, universities, coaching centres, training academies, and hostels. 

Citing data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta highlighted the alarming rise in student suicides. In 2022 alone, 13,044 students died by suicide, accounting for 8 out of every 100 suicides in the country. In comparison, the number stood at 5,425 in 2001. The data also revealed that 2,248 students took their lives due to exam failures.

The Supreme Court observed that academic stress, pressure from examinations, and lack of institutional support are major factors behind these deaths. The court said that such figures point to deep systemic issues that must be addressed urgently.

Using its constitutional powers under Article 32, the apex court made the guidelines binding until a specific law is passed by Parliament or state legislatures. It further clarified that the directions will hold the force of law under Article 141. These measures, the court noted, align with the efforts of a national task force on student mental health led by retired Supreme Court judge, Justice Ravindra S Bhat.

Among the key directives is the introduction of mandatory mental health counselling in all institutions. Dedicated mentors or counsellors must be assigned to smaller groups of students, especially during exam periods and academic transitions. These counsellors are expected to offer consistent, informal, and confidential support. 

Educational institutions must also conduct mental health training for both teaching and non-teaching staff at least twice a year. These sessions, to be conducted by certified professionals, will focus on psychological first aid, identifying distress signals, addressing self-harm, and referral systems.

In a step toward inclusive support, the court ordered that all staff be trained to sensitively engage with students from marginalised and vulnerable communities, promoting a non-discriminatory environment.

Institutions are now required to set up internal committees to deal with sexual harassment, ragging, and other student grievances. Alongside redressal, these bodies must also provide psycho-social support to affected students.

Further, the court mandated sensitisation programmes for parents and instructed institutions to incorporate mental health literacy, emotional regulation, and life skills into regular student activities. Anonymised wellness records of students must also be maintained.

To ensure easy access to help, suicide helpline numbers like Tele-MANAS and other national services must be prominently displayed in hostels, classrooms, common areas, and on institutional websites in large, readable fonts.

This landmark ruling came during a hearing on the tragic death of a 17-year-old NEET aspirant from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The student was preparing for the medical entrance exam while staying in a hostel and died by suicide on July 14, 2023. Her father had approached the Supreme Court after the Andhra Pradesh High Court declined his request for a CBI probe on February 14, 2024. The apex court has now ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation to look into the case.

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