Context:

The Supreme Court of India has recently taken a significant step towards addressing the growing concern of student suicides and mental health disorders in the country's educational landscape. On July 25, 2025, a bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta issued 15 binding guidelines to create safer and more empathetic environments in schools, colleges, and coaching centers across India.

 Background:

The Supreme Court’s guidelines were issued in response to a petition regarding the unnatural death of a 17-year-old NEET aspirant in Visakhapatnam. The Court also ordered the transfer of the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

·        Highlighting the national emergency posed by student suicides, the Court stressed the need for immediate and systemic reforms.

·        According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), India recorded over 13,000 student suicides in 2022, accounting for 7.6% of all suicides in the country.

·        The NCRB data also shows that student suicides have grown at an alarming annual rate of 4% over the past 20 years, surpassing population growth rates and overall suicide trends

Key Highlights of the Supreme Court Guidelines:

Uniform Mental Health Policy

• All educational institutions must adopt a uniform mental health policy.
• The policy should draw from:
• Ummeed Guidelines (2023)
• Manodarpan Initiative (Ministry of Education)
• National Suicide Prevention Strategy
• Must be updated annually and made publicly accessible.

Appointment of Mental Health Professionals

• Institutions with 100+ students must appoint at least one trained counsellor, psychologist, or social worker.
• Institutions with fewer students must formally partner with external professionals.

Anti-Discrimination and Inclusivity

• No academic segregation, public shaming, or unrealistic academic targets.
• Zero tolerance for discrimination based on caste, gender, disability, religion, etc.
• Confidential and accessible redressal systems for:
• Ragging
• Bullying
• Sexual harassment
• Discrimination

Legal Accountability

• Institutional failure to prevent self-harm or suicide, especially due to inaction on complaints, shall be treated as culpable, leading to regulatory and legal consequences.

Coaching Centre Regulations

• All private coaching hubs (e.g., Kota, Jaipur, Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai) must implement enhanced mental health safeguards.
• States and UTs directed to notify rules within two months to:
• Mandate registration
• Set student protection norms
• Create grievance redressal mechanisms

National Task Force

• A National Task Force has been constituted to develop long-term strategies for mental health and suicide prevention in higher education.

Conclusion

The Supreme Court's intervention serves as a watershed moment in acknowledging mental health as a fundamental concern in India’s educational ecosystem. These interim guidelines bridge a crucial policy gap and compel institutions to view student welfare not as an optional add-on, but as a moral, legal, and constitutional obligation.

A long-term solution requires legislative backing, institutional reforms, and societal change in how we view academic success and emotional resilience.