NEWS – The Supreme Court (SC) issued 15-point guidelines to address rising student suicides.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Recognised mental health as an integral part of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution.
• Highlighted a regulatory vacuum regarding suicide prevention in educational settings.

• The directive followed a plea by Sukdeb Saha, whose 17-year-old NEET-aspiring daughter died under suspicious circumstances in 2023.
• SC linked the case to a larger systemic malaise threatening the youth.

Key Guidelines Issued

• Mandatory counsellors: Institutions with 100+ students must appoint trained mental health professionals.
• Referral system: Smaller institutions to create linkages with external mental health experts.
• Scope: Applicable to all institutions—schools, colleges, universities, hostels, and coaching centres.
• Coaching hotspots (Jaipur, Kota, Chennai, etc.) directed to adopt enhanced safeguards.

Implementation Measures

• All States/UTs to notify rules within 2 months.
• Formation of district-level monitoring committees under DMs/Collectors.
• Union Government must file compliance affidavit in 90 days.

Ongoing National Task Force

• SC’s directions are complementary to the pending National Task Force report led by Justice (Retd.) Ravindra Bhat.
• Guidelines will remain binding until formal laws are enacted.