Supreme Court Seeks Report on Suicide Prevention Efforts in Schools and Colleges

• The Supreme Court of India has directed all states and Union Territories to submit reports within eight weeks on the implementation of suicide prevention and mental health guidelines in educational institutions. The move comes amid growing concern over rising cases of student suicides across the country.

Court’s Directions

• A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta sought compliance affidavits from the Centre and all states on measures taken to address student mental health. The court also ordered that all states and UTs be made respondents in the case and must file detailed reports before the next hearing in January 2026 .

Uniform Mental Health Policy

• Reiterating its July 25, 2025 ruling, the Supreme Court directed that all schools and colleges adopt a uniform mental health policy , based on the ‘Ummeed’ guidelines , ‘Manodarpan’ initiative , and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy . Institutions must review these policies annually and display them publicly on websites and notice boards.

Filling the Legal Gap

• The court earlier noted a lack of legislation addressing student mental health and suicide prevention. To bridge this gap, it issued 15 interim guidelines that remain binding until a formal law is enacted. These include mandatory registration and grievance mechanisms for private coaching centres , which have seen a surge in student suicides.

Government Initiatives

The Ministry of Education has launched several programs, including:

• ‘Ummeed’ (2023): Stands for Understand, Motivate, Manage, Empathise, Empower, and Develop , focusing on emotional well-being.

• ‘Manodarpan’ (2020): Introduced during COVID-19 to provide psychological support for students and teachers.

Exam-Oriented Facts

• Reports due within eight weeks from all states and UTs.

• Based on ‘Ummeed’, ‘Manodarpan’, and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy .

• Next hearing: January 2026.

• Case originated from the death of a 17-year-old NEET aspirant in Andhra Pradesh .

Summary:
The Supreme Court’s directive seeks to ensure that every educational institution adopts a structured and accountable mental health and suicide prevention framework , prioritising student safety and well-being nationwide.