New Delhi : The Supreme Court issued a set of 15 guidelines aimed at reducing the rising number of student suicides in educational institutions across India. The court noted that many students are dying by suicide due to academic stress, exam pressure and lack of institutional support.
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.
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.
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. 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.
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