National task force activated to prevent student suicide in higher educational institutions

New Delhi. The National Task Force (NTF) constituted by the Supreme Court to look into the mental health of students and prevention of rising incidents of suicide in higher educational institutions (HEIs) has visited 30 higher educational institutions in 10 states from May 2025 till now. The task force has also conducted 25 stakeholder consultations, in which issues like caste discrimination, gender inequality, problems of students with disabilities, issues of ST and OBC students, mental health and suicide prevention were discussed.

The Education Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that the purpose of these visits and consultations is to formulate an inclusive and multidisciplinary policy for student mental health by understanding the actual conditions of different regions and institutions.

According to the ministry, many serious challenges have emerged in the interim report and the study so far. The reasons behind student suicides in higher educational institutions are not only mental health related problems but also many other reasons like academic pressure, caste and gender discrimination, economic difficulties, social isolation, family expectations, lack of adequate institutional support and limited access to mental health services.

The report said that full-time mental health specialists are not available in most of the higher education institutions in the country. More than 70 percent of the institutions surveyed did not have full-time mental health service providers. Less than 20 percent of institutions had formal coordination with mental health experts, while less than four percent of institutions had defined protocols in place to address suicide risk. Nearly 45 per cent of institutions did not even conduct sensitivity training for teachers in the last 18 months.

According to the report, in a survey of over 2.43 lakh students, about 34 per cent students reported feeling isolated on campus, while 15 per cent students reported experiencing prolonged periods of extreme stress, depression or anxiety in the last six months. At the same time, nine percent of the students admitted to having suicidal thoughts often during the last one year.

During the institutional visits of the Task Force, the major issues raised by the students were rigid attendance rules, excessive academic pressure, shortage of teachers, delay in scholarships, inaction of grievance redressal mechanism, caste and gender discrimination, poor condition of hostels and inadequate counseling services. The report said that in many institutions the student grievance mechanism has become a mere formality and students’ trust in the administration has weakened.

Interim recommendations have also been made in the report. These include recommendations to develop a more reliable and coordinated national data system for data related to student suicide, ensure effective and full-time mental health support system in every higher educational institution, appoint trained counsellors, implement standard operating procedure (SOP) to deal with the risk of suicide and sensitize teachers and non-teaching staff on mental health.

The report also emphasizes on making the grievance redressal mechanism more effective, transparent and student-friendly, increasing institutional accountability to prevent discrimination and providing more platforms for students to air their problems in a safe environment. It has also been recommended to strengthen student-teacher communication, strengthen the mentorship system, promote diversity and inclusion, and make mental health services an integral part of the institutional culture.

It is noteworthy that in view of the increasing incidents of suicide of students in higher educational institutions, the Supreme Court on March 24, 2025, retired judge Justice S. National Task Force was formed under the chairmanship of Ravindra Bhat. The mandate of the task force is to identify the major causes of student suicides, review existing laws and institutional arrangements and recommend reforms to ensure effective prevention and accountability. In its order dated May 27, 2026, the court has given time to the task force to submit its final report by October 31, 2026.