A dedicated portal to address mental health concerns and prevent suicides in higher education institutions has been launched by the Supreme Court-appointed National Task Force (NTF) on Friday, to gather nationwide inputs.
The platform will host online surveys for students, parents, faculty, and mental health professionals, as part of a multi-pronged effort to understand and tackle the crisis. An interim report is expected by the end of September, with the final report due later this year.
Justice S Ravindra Bhat, former Supreme Court judge and Chairperson of the national task force said the body was set up in March 2025 after "the immediate trigger was one suicide incident," but stressed the court's concern was the "increase in frequency" of such cases in higher education.
Previous studies had focused on individual institutions, he noted, but the new task force aims to get "an overall picture of what is happening among that age group in the country as a whole."
Comprising experts from sociology, clinical psychology, disability and women's rights, social activism, and community medicine, the group will use three methods-a website with questionnaires for students, survivors, parents, teachers, administrators, and policymakers; visits to both large cities and smaller towns with a history of incidents; and consultations with suicide prevention stakeholders and researchers.
Secretary, Higher education, Vineet Joshi, noted the enormity of the challenge with India's vast higher education landscape of over 60,000 institutions and more than 4.46 crore students.
"Identifying the causes and suggesting recommendations is going to be an extremely challenging task, and this task force is completely committed to that... Student suicide is a major concern for all of us, contributing about 7.6% of total deaths as per NCRB data," said Mr Joshi.
The secretary assured that the process would be collaborative, and evidence based. "We want to create an environment in which every student can achieve their dreams without losing hope. Not a single life should be lost," he said.
The NTF is employing multiple methods for a nationwide reach such as visits to institutions across the country, prioritising those that have reported suicide cases. The panel has already conducted visits to several colleges in South India. The visits involve meetings with students, faculty, administrators, and grievance redressal committees, with a focus on hearing voices from disadvantaged sections.
Dr Aqsa Shaikh, a member of the task force and Professor, Department of Community Medicine at Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research highlighted the scale of the initiative. "The number of students who attempt suicide and who have suicidal ideation is manifold and a matter of national concern. This will cater to over four crore students. Over the next eight months, we will work collaboratively with institutions to prepare a consolidated plan," she added.
The surveys available in English and Hindi will seek information on academic stress, systemic discrimination, availability of support, and grievance redressal mechanisms. Institutions will also be asked to share data on reported suicides, preventive measures, and grievance redressals. An open section will allow the public to submit suggestions.
The NTF was constituted following a Supreme Court judgment on March 24, 2025, which expressed "deep concern" over rising suicides among students in universities and professional colleges, including institutions of national importance.
According to NCRB data, 13,044 students died by suicide in 2022, a figure surpassing farmer and unemployed persons' suicides-with student suicide rates rising at twice the rate of the general population.
The newly launched portal can be accessed at ntf.education.gov.in , serving as the primary channel for survey participation and list student support resources, including helpline numbers.
Supreme Court guidelines to address mental health concerns
The Supreme Court of India has issued a comprehensive set of 15 guidelines to address mental health concerns within the education system, emphasising the urgent need to safeguard student well-being.
These guidelines, applicable to all educational institutions across India-public and private schools, colleges, universities, coaching institutes, and hostels-aim to create a supportive and inclusive environment.
Detailed Guidelines:
- All institutions must adopt a uniform mental health policy, drawing from UMMEED, MANODARPAN, and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy.
- Institutions with over 100 students must appoint at least one qualified counsellor, psychologist, or social worker trained in child and adolescent mental health.
- Student-to-counsellor ratios must be optimised. Dedicated mentors should be assigned to smaller groups, especially during exams.
- Coaching centres must avoid batch segregation based on academic performance and refrain from public shaming.
- Suicide helpline numbers (including Tele-MANAS) must be prominently displayed in classrooms, hostels, and online platforms.
- All staff must undergo certified mental health training twice a year.
- Staff must be sensitively trained to support students from marginalised backgrounds.
- Institutions must set up accessible, confidential systems to report and address sexual harassment, ragging, bullying, and discrimination.
- Sensitisation sessions for parents must be organised regularly.
- Institutions must maintain anonymised records and publish annual wellness reports.
- Extracurricular activities and structured career counselling for students and parents must be prioritised.
- Residential institutions must ensure campuses are free from bullying, drugs, and unsafe environments. Tamper-proof ceiling fans and restricted access to rooftops and balconies are mandatory.
- Coaching hubs in cities like Kota, Jaipur, Chennai, Hyderabad, and others must implement special mental health safeguards, ensure structured academic planning, provide continuous counselling, and establish monitoring and accountability mechanisms.
