Supreme Court Urges Government to Address Student Suicides, Seeks Status Report from Health Ministry

The Supreme Court has requested the Central Government to provide a status report detailing measures taken by the health ministry to prevent suicides, especially among children. This comes as part of a PIL highlighting the alarming rate of student suicides in Delhi.

The Supreme Court on Thursday instructed the Central Government to submit a status report outlining the steps taken by the health ministry to curb suicides in the country. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud led a bench that mandated the Union of India to file a comprehensive affidavit within four weeks.

The court recognized the high rate of suicides among children as a critical issue and urged the Union Health Ministry to report on measures being implemented to prevent such tragedies. The petition, driven by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, brought to light the suicide rate among adolescents in Delhi.

Bansal's petition noted that more than 400 students under the age of 18 died by suicide in Delhi between 2014 and 2018. Citing an RTI reply, the petitioner emphasized the urgent need for government action to prevent these avoidable deaths.

“Suicides are preventable but remain a major public health issue due to stigma, resulting in a lack of timely help,” Bansal's petition stated. He called for immediate government intervention to reduce and prevent suicides, especially through public health programs mandated under the Mental Healthcare Act - 2017.

The petition also referenced a World Health Organization report that identified suicide as the second leading cause of death for young people aged 15-29 worldwide. Bansal urged both central and state governments to establish dedicated helplines and support systems to assist individuals with suicidal thoughts.

The Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing for August 9, 2024, to review the progress made in this serious public health matter.