The Court in Sukdeb Saha vs. State of Andhra Pradesh Issued 15 interim guidelines under Article 32 and Article 141 for all educational institutions (e.g., schools, coaching institutes, etc) to address growing crisis of student suicides and mental health.
- The Court noted that distress among India’s youth points to a deeper “structural malaise” in the country’s educational ecosystem.
- In 2022, India recorded over 13,000 student suicides (7.6% of all suicides), with more than 2,200 directly linked to exam failures (NCRB).
Key Judicial Guidelines Issued by the Supreme Court (Binding till Legislative Framework Emerges)
- Mandatory Mental Health Policy in Educational Institutions: Aligned with national frameworks like UMMEED, MANODARPAN, and National Suicide Prevention Strategy.
- Appointment of Mental Health Counsellors: At least one qualified counsellor for institutions with 100 or more students.
- Prohibits batch segregation based on performance, public shaming, and unrealistic academic targets.
- Helpline numbers (including Tele-MANAS) must be displayed prominently in campuses and hostels.
- All staff must undergo biannual mental health training on crisis response and identification of warning signs.
- Institutions must adopt inclusive, non-discriminatory mental health practices for SC/ST/OBC/EWS, LGBTQ+, and disabled students.
- Institutions must set up confidential reporting systems for sexual assault, ragging, and identity-based discrimination & ensure immediate psychosocial support for affected students.
- Reduce exam-centric stress by promoting interest-based career counselling and extracurricular activities.
Legal Recognition and Policy Commitments Towards Mental Health’s Importance
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