SC seeks compliance from states, Centre on student mental health guidelines

The Supreme Court on Monday, 27 October, directed all states and Union Territories to inform it within eight weeks about the implementation of its guidelines aimed at addressing mental health challenges and preventing suicides among students in educational institutions.

A Bench comprising justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta also granted the Centre eight weeks to file a compliance affidavit detailing the measures undertaken to enforce these guidelines. The directions were issued during the hearing of a matter concerning the enforcement of the Court’s 25 July judgement.

In that ruling, the apex court had instructed all states and Union Territories to frame rules within two months, mandating the registration of private coaching centres, the establishment of student protection norms, and the creation of grievance redressal mechanisms.

During Monday’s hearing, the Bench was informed that the Centre had previously been directed to submit a compliance affidavit within 90 days of the July verdict. The Court further ordered that all states and Union Territories be impleaded as respondents in the case and asked them to file their responses within eight weeks. The matter is scheduled for further hearing in January 2026.

Expressing concern over the increasing number of suicides in educational institutions, the Supreme Court underscored the urgent need to confront the growing mental health crisis among students.

The Court observed that a “legislative and regulatory vacuum” persists in the country concerning a unified and enforceable framework for suicide prevention in schools, colleges, and coaching institutes.

The 25 July verdict had issued 15 binding guidelines that will remain in effect until appropriate legislation or regulatory frameworks are introduced by the competent authorities.

These include a directive for all educational institutions to adopt and implement a uniform mental health policy, drawing from the Ministry of Education’s Ummeed draft guidelines, the Manodarpan initiative, and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy.

The Court mandated that the mental health policy of each institution be reviewed and updated annually, and made publicly accessible on websites and notice boards.

The Bench noted that the Centre has already initiated several preventive steps. The Ministry of Education had released the Ummeed guidelines in 2023 to provide a structured approach to preventing student suicides, focusing on understanding, motivation, management, empathy, empowerment, and development.

Additionally, the Manodarpan programme, launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, continues to support students’ mental well-being.

The Supreme Court’s July judgement stemmed from an appeal challenging an Andhra Pradesh High Court order that declined to transfer the probe into the alleged suicide of a 17-year-old National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) aspirant in Visakhapatnam to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

By reinforcing its directives, the apex court has sought to ensure that both the Centre and states act swiftly to create a more robust and compassionate framework to safeguard the mental health and well-being of students across the country.

With PTI inputs