The Supreme Court has issued a final warning to 57,000 educational institutions across India. These institutes failed to respond to a crucial questionnaire on student suicides. The Court warned that non-compliance could lead to legal action and public criticism.
This directive came during a hearing concerning the timely release of post-matric scholarships. The Supreme Court stated that institutional cooperation is essential for this critical survey. The data collected will support a nationwide initiative to understand and address student mental health challenges across educational campuses.
Survey Non-Compliance and Warning
The Court noted the widespread non-response from institutions, expressing clear disappointment. Despite four reminders sent by the Union government, 57,000 institutes failed to provide information. This data is crucial for the National Task Force (NTF) to accurately analyze the issue and finalize its interim report on student suicides.
The Supreme Court’s order stated: “We would like to give one last opportunity to all these institutes to cooperate and join the survey, failing which we may have to pass some orders which the institutes may not like and may bring a bad name to the respective institutes.”
Senior counsel Harish Salve informed the Court he would personally contact all Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). He pledged to urge them to participate in the survey and provide necessary cooperation.
National Task Force on Student Suicides
A 10-member National Task Force was established by a bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan in March this year . The task force aims to prevent student suicides and address mental health within higher educational institutions, citing a rising number of student deaths.
The NTF’s mandate includes determining the root causes of student deaths. It gathers public opinions, interacts with educational institutions, and holds discussions with mental health experts, students, and parents. This comprehensive approach ensures a broad understanding of the issue.
The task force must submit its interim report on the study within four months of its formation. A final report is due within eight months , detailing findings and recommendations.
Government Directed to Act
The Supreme Court directed the Union government to engage with the non-responsive institutions “very seriously.” This emphasizes the critical need for institutional cooperation to complete the survey successfully and provide actionable data.
Post-Matric Scholarship Delays
The primary matter before the Court involved delays in disbursing post-matric scholarships to students. The Court questioned why scholarship amounts remained pending even after applications had received official sanction.
Amicus Curiae Aparna Bhat urged the Supreme Court to issue directives to states and union territories. She requested measures to ensure timely scholarship disbursement. Bhat also asked that no student’s admission be cancelled, nor exam appearances denied, due to pending scholarship amounts.
The Court’s hearings address both institutional cooperation in collecting student mental health data and the timely disbursement of student scholarships. These matters highlight ongoing challenges in student welfare across India.