In a major initiative to address the growing incidence of student suicides in higher education institutions (HEIs), the Supreme Court of India has formed a 10-member national task force to study the reasons behind such tragic events and recommend preventive steps. The task force will be led by retired Supreme Court Justice Ravindra Bhat and will comprise mental health experts, psychiatrists, and legal professionals.

This task force has come after a spate of student suicides at India’s top educational institutions raised alarms regarding mental health issues on college campuses. The court mentioned that 98 students had died by suicide in top educational institutes since 2018. Of these, 39 cases were reported from Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), 25 from National Institutes of Technology (NITs), 25 from central universities, four from Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), three from Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs), and two from Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs).

The move by the Supreme Court follows after it reprimanded the police for not registering First Information Reports (FIRs) for student suicides. The case in question involved the suicides of two IIT-Delhi students in 2023 whose parents had cited caste-based harassment as one of the causes of their suicides. The top court ordered the Delhi police to file FIRs and investigate thoroughly into the allegations. The court also underlined that in any case of suicide on campus, authorities should immediately file an FIR and conduct a proper inquiry.

The newly constituted task force has been tasked with preparing a detailed report on the major reasons behind student suicides. The court specifically identified problems like academic pressure, financial problems, ragging, discrimination on the basis of caste and gender, sexual harassment, and stigma around mental illness as major contributors. Other issues identified by the court are discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, tribal identity, disability, sexual orientation, political views, and religious beliefs. The Supreme Court recognized that the repeated suicides of students are a grim reminder of the shortfalls in the existing legal and institutional mechanisms intended to deal with mental health concerns on campuses.

Besides Justice Ravindra Bhat, the task force will comprise renowned experts like psychiatrist Alok Sarin, professor of clinical psychology Mary E. John, clinical psychologist Seema Mehrotra, and senior advocate Aparna Bhat. Their combined experience will be utilized to find systemic failures in schools and suggest policies to establish a supportive environment for students.

The mental health issue in HEIs has long been a growing concern, and many reports reveal that students, especially those coming from marginalized communities, experience vast academic and social pressures. Due to the nature of these competitive institutions and extra-institutional societal expectations, stress, anxiety, and depression are common manifestations. Most of these students hold back from obtaining assistance because they fear stigma and judgment, rendering it challenging to effectively deal with their problems.

In the past few years, student bodies and activists have called for institutional changes to enhance mental health support systems. Universities and IITs have established counseling centers, but critics state that these are not accessible and effective. Students are reported to find it challenging to seek out counselors because of long waiting lists, lack of confidentiality, or insufficient professional guidance.

The Supreme Court’s intervention highlights the need for a speedier overhaul of mental health policies in schools. The task force is expected to examine the efficacy of the current support systems and recommend alterations to establish a more student-centered environment. Among the steps that experts think may work include mandatory mental health checks, more funding for counseling centers, staff and faculty sensitization programmes, and better measures to redress discrimination and harassment.

The task force will make an exhaustive study and seek advice from students, members of the faculty, and professionals in the field of mental health before presenting its final report. The Supreme Court has asserted that the recommendations made by this panel will have an important bearing on formulating policies to ensure students’ well-being in HEIs.

The court’s firm stand on the matter has been appreciated by all, including student groups, mental health experts, and victim parents. There is a hope that this move will usher in much-needed reforms in India’s higher education sector and prevent more tragedies. With student suicides emerging as a disturbing trend, this task force’s suggestions could open the way for a safer and more inclusive learning environment in the country.