Supreme Court Establishes Task Force to Address Student Suicides

The Supreme Court has formed a National Task Force to tackle the mental health issues and prevent suicides in higher educational institutions. The Task Force aims to identify causes, analyze regulations, and propose recommendations, with interim and final reports expected within four and eight months, respectively.

In a significant move, the Supreme Court on Monday established a National Task Force to combat the rising mental health issues and suicides among students in higher educational institutions. The decision comes amidst growing concerns over the increasing instances of student suicides, which have now exceeded cases of farmer suicides due to agrarian distress.

Led by former Supreme Court judge Justice S Ravindra Bhat, the Task Force is mandated to prepare a comprehensive report identifying the root causes of student suicides, evaluate current regulations, and recommend robust protective measures. It is also empowered to conduct surprise inspections of educational institutions to ensure compliance with mental health directives.

As part of its broad mandate, the Task Force can make additional recommendations to effectively address mental health issues on campuses. An interim report is expected within four months, with a final report to follow within eight months. This initiative was in response to an appeal by the parents of two IIT-Delhi students who died in 2023, allegedly victims of caste discrimination.