The task force, under former SC judge Justice S Ravindra Bhat, will identify the predominant causes that lead to students’ suicides and recommend measures to create more inclusive and supportive academic environment.
Students’ Suicides in India
- According to the NCRB 2022 report, student suicides accounted for 7.6% of total suicides in India in 2022.
- Over the last decade (2012-22), the number of student suicides increased from 6,654 to 13,044.
- Maharashtra reported the highest number of student suicides followed by Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Odisha.
Cause of Students suicides
- Academic reasons: Academic dissatisfaction, academic stress and academic failure.
- Institutional factors: Bullying, ragging, and discrimination for holding political view or religious beliefs.
- Socio-economic reasons: Caste-based discrimination, gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, ethnicity-based discrimination etc.
- Others: Financial crisis and online gaming.
Initiatives taken to curb students’ suicide in India
- MANODARPAN: An initiative by the Ministry of Education to provide Psychosocial Support for Mental Health & Well Being of Students.
- National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS): Launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in 2022, with the goal of reducing suicide mortality by 10% by 2030.
- National Tele Mental Health Programme (NTMHP): Aims to improve access to mental health care through a 24/7 toll-free helpline.
- Draft UMMEED (Understand, Motivate, Manage, Empathise, Empower and Develop): Prevention of Suicide - Guidelines for Schools, 2023.
