The Supreme Court recently issued sweeping directions, holding higher education institutions (HEIs) responsible for student mental health and suicide prevention. The ruling mandates specific actions, including immediate reporting of all student unnatural deaths and preventing academic penalties for delayed scholarships. Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan stated HEIs “cannot shirk away” from their fundamental duty to ensure safe, equitable learning environments.
New Responsibilities for Institutions
HEIs must not evict students from hostels, bar them from exams, or remove them from academic programs due to late scholarship payments. Institutions must report all unnatural student deaths to the police immediately. This applies regardless of where the death occurs or the student’s mode of study, covering both on-campus and online program students.
Findings Reveal Systemic Failures
The Supreme Court’s directives stem from an interim report by a National Task Force (NTF). This task force, established last March, investigated student mental health and well-being. Its probe revealed widespread deficiencies in HEIs’ support systems.
Lack of Support Systems
The NTF found that about 65% of surveyed institutions lacked access to mental health professionals. Nearly 75% had no full-time counsellors. Where services existed, students hesitated to use them. Reasons included stigma, confidentiality fears, academic consequences, and mistrust of authorities. Less than 20% of institutions maintained formal ties with external mental health providers. Bodies meant to prevent harassment, promote equity, and address grievances often exist only “on paper” or are “tokenistic,” the Court observed.
Deep-Seated Inequalities
The NTF survey highlighted entrenched inequality on campuses. Students from historically marginalized communities, including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, minorities, persons with disabilities, and transgender students, reported discrimination and lack of support. Women, first-generation learners, those from rural areas, and non-English speakers also faced similar challenges. Ragging continues across many institutions.
Academic and Financial Burdens
Academic pressure emerged as a significant stress source. Students cited strict attendance rules, heavy courses, unclear evaluation, and faculty shortages. Intense competition for placements added to the pressure. Medical students reported exploitative cultures and long working hours. Research scholars faced burnout, financial insecurity, and weak supervision. Financial stress was also common, with students experiencing scholarship payment delays and arbitrary fees or hostel charges.
Supreme Court’s Directives for Prevention and Reporting
The Court criticized HEIs for their “apathetic attitude” toward the NTF survey and their tendency to “shift the blame” when suicides occur. The bench emphasized the need for introspection into “institutionally normalised stressors.” The directives target these systemic problems:
- Suicide data for individuals aged 15–29 must be centrally maintained for accurate estimates of student deaths.
- The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) must report suicides of school and higher education students separately in its annual report. The 2023 report recorded over 13,000 student suicides in one year.
- All universities must immediately report any student suicide or unnatural death to the police, irrespective of location or mode of study.
- Universities must submit annual reports on student suicides to the University Grants Commission (UGC) and relevant regulatory bodies. Non-regulated universities must report to the Department of Higher Education.
- Residential universities must provide 24×7 access to qualified medical care, either on campus or within a one-kilometer radius.
- Universities must fill vacant teaching and non-teaching posts within four months. Priority must go to reserved positions for marginalized groups and persons with disabilities.
- Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, and other key administrative posts must be filled within four months, ideally within one month of a vacancy. Universities must report annually on vacancies to governments.
- All pending scholarship payments must be cleared within four months. Students cannot face academic or other penalties for government-caused delays.
- Institutions must strictly comply with UGC regulations on ragging, discrimination, sexual harassment, and student grievances. This includes establishing and properly functioning mandated committees.
The Court directed union and state governments to ensure these directions reach all HEIs nationwide. If you or someone you know needs support, please reach out. Helplines like AASRA (9820466726) and iCALL (9152987821) offer counselling and emotional support.