Deeply distressing: Supreme Court issues guidelines to curb student suicides
"Dedicated mentors or counsellors shall be assigned to smaller batches of students, especially during examination periods and academic transitions, to provide consistent, informal, and confidential support," it said.The directive mandates that all teaching and non-teaching staff in educational institutions undergo mandatory mental health training at least twice a year. This training, led by certified mental health professionals, will focus on psychological first aid, recognising warning signs of distress, responding to self-harm, and proper referral procedures.Additionally, institutions must ensure staff are equipped to sensitively and inclusively engage with students from vulnerable and marginalised communities, upholding a non-discriminatory approach.Additionally, institutions are required to establish internal committees or authorities to handle complaints related to sexual harassment, ragging and other grievances, and to provide psycho-social support to affected students.Sensitisation programs for parents, integration of mental health literacy, emotional regulation, and life skills into student activities and the court directed the institutions to maintain anonymised wellness records of the students."Suicide helpline numbers, including Tele-MANAS and other national services, shall be prominently displayed in hostels, classrooms, common areas, and on websites in large and legible print," the bench added.These directions are based on data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), which reported that 13,044 students died by suicide in 2022, out of a total of 1,70,924 suicides nationwide.In 2001, the number of student suicides was 5,425. The report shows that out of every 100 suicides, 8 were by students. The NCRB also reported that 2,248 students died by suicide due to failure in examinations.The Supreme Court said these figures highlight systemic gaps that need urgent attention.The bench, comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta, said that institutional safeguards must be implemented to protect students from psychological distress, academic pressure and lack of support.The court used its powers under Article 32 of the Constitution to issue these directions and stated that the order will remain in force as law under Article 141 until appropriate legislation is enacted by Parliament or state legislatures.The court also noted that the guidelines complement the work of a national task force on student mental health, chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ravindra S Bhat.advertisementThe decision came during a hearing in a case involving the death of a 17-year-old NEET aspirant in Andhra Pradesh. The student was preparing for the medical entrance exam at a coaching centre in Visakhapatnam and was living in a hostel. She died on July 14, 2023.Her father asked for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. The Andhra Pradesh High Court rejected the request on February 14, 2024. The father then approached the Supreme Court, which has now ordered the CBI to investigate the case.- EndsTune InMust Watch
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7 hours ago
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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.
Time of India
21 hours ago
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AIIMS-Nagpur doctors keep ‘digital eye' on newborns in Melghat
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a day ago
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Amid rising student suicides in India, SC issues 15 guidelines for educational institutions
The Supreme Court of India highlighted that academic stress, exam pressure, and inadequate institutional support are driving many students to take their lives. read more In response to the alarming rise in student suicides across the country, the Supreme Court of India has issued a comprehensive set of 15 guidelines targeting educational institutions, including schools, colleges, coaching centres, universities, training academies, and hostels. The court highlighted that academic stress, exam pressure, and inadequate institutional support are driving many students to take their lives. The guidelines mandate measures such as compulsory mental health counselling, effective grievance redressal mechanisms, and robust regulatory oversight across all educational settings. The court directed that 'Dedicated mentors or counsellors shall be assigned to smaller batches of students, especially during examination periods and academic transitions, to provide consistent, informal, and confidential support.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD All teaching and non-teaching staff must undergo mandatory mental health training at least twice annually, conducted by certified professionals. This training will cover psychological first aid, identifying distress signals, responding to self-harm, and proper referral processes. Institutions are also required to ensure staff engage sensitively and inclusively with students from vulnerable and marginalised communities, maintaining a non-discriminatory approach. Setting up of internal committees Further, the court ordered the establishment of internal committees to address complaints related to sexual harassment, ragging, and other grievances, while also providing psycho-social support to affected students. Institutions must integrate mental health literacy, emotional regulation, and life skills into student activities, conduct parental sensitisation programs, and maintain anonymised wellness records for students. The court emphasised visibility of support resources, stating, 'Suicide helpline numbers, including Tele-MANAS and other national services, shall be prominently displayed in hostels, classrooms, common areas, and on websites in large and legible print.' How many students are committing suicide in India? These directives were informed by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, which recorded 13,044 student suicides in 2022 out of 1,70,924 total suicides nationwide, with 2,248 attributed to exam failure. This marks a sharp rise from 5,425 student suicides in 2001, with students accounting for 8 out of every 100 suicides. The court described these numbers as evidence of systemic failures requiring urgent action. The bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, stressed the need for institutional safeguards to shield students from psychological distress, academic pressure, and lack of support. Invoking Article 32 of the Constitution, the court issued these guidelines, which will have the force of law under Article 141 until Parliament or state legislatures enact relevant legislation. The guidelines align with the efforts of a national task force on student mental health, led by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ravindra S. Bhat. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD If you or someone you know wants help for mental well-being, don't hesitate to talk to a professional. You can contact local authorities and also encourage the person to contact a suicide prevention hotline using the information in the above link.
