Directions were issued in Amit Kumar v Union of India, based on suggestions by National Task Force (NTF) constituted by SC in 2025. 

Key Observations by Supreme Court (SC)

• Rising cases: Suicides are among the leading causes of death in 15–29 age group (SRS), with  around 13, 000 student suicides cases in 2022 (NCRB). 
• Expansion of HEIs: By way of Massification and Privatisation, placed India second globally in student enrolment, with structural and social inequalities. 

Key reasons for rising Student Suicides (as per NTF)

• Shortage of Faculty, Administrative staff, and Leadership positions across HEIs: Weaken institutional governance, grievance redressal and accountability with incidents of caste-based discrimination, ragging, etc.
• Poor Institutional Responsibility: HEIs to avoid individualising blame, attributing them to personal shortcomings. 
• Financial stress: Delay in release of scholarships act as a major financial stressor. 
• Scattered Frameworks, Weak Enforcement: Multiple regulations/initiatives like UGC Regulations, NEP 2020, National Suicide Prevention Strategy, and Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 remain scattered across several individual documents with weak enforcement. 

Key Directions issued by SC

• Data on Student Suicides: Sample Registration System data on Suicides, especially for  15-29 years age group, must be centrally maintained. 
• Reporting of Suicides: All HEIs to report any incident of student suicide along with submitting an annual report to regulatory bodies. 
• Addressing Faculty shortages: Vacant faculty positions including post of Vice Chancellor, Registrars, and other key administrative positions be filled within four months. 
• Compliance with all existing regulations: Including establishment of Anti-Ragging Committees/Squads, Anti-Discrimination Officers, Internal Complaints Committees, etc. 
• Others: Qualified medical help in every residential HEI; clearing pending scholarship backlog within four months; etc.