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 its suicide prevention and mental health guidelines for educational institutions. The move follows increasing concern over student suicides across the country and aims to ensure that schools and colleges adopt effective mental health frameworks.

Top Court’s Directions on Mental Health Compliance

A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta sought compliance affidavits from both the Centre and state governments regarding the measures taken to address student mental health issues. The court also instructed that all states and Union Territories be impleaded as respondents in the case, giving them eight weeks to file detailed responses before the next hearing scheduled for January 2026.

Uniform Mental Health Policy for Institutions

The Supreme Court reiterated its earlier ruling from July 25, which mandated all educational institutions to implement a uniform mental health policy. This policy should be inspired by the ‘Ummeed’ draft guidelines, the ‘Manodarpan’ initiative, and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. It also directed that such policies must be reviewed annually and made publicly accessible on institutional websites and notice boards.

Legislative Gaps and Interim Guidelines

In its July judgment, the court highlighted a “legislative and regulatory vacuum” in India concerning a unified approach to suicide prevention within student environments. To bridge this gap, it issued 15 guidelines that will remain binding until a formal legal or regulatory framework is enacted. These include mandatory registration, student protection norms, and grievance redressal mechanisms for private coaching centres, which have been under scrutiny following several student suicides.

Exam Oriented Facts

• The Supreme Court directed all states and UTs to report on suicide prevention implementation within eight weeks.
• The uniform mental health policy must draw from ‘Ummeed’, ‘Manodarpan’, and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy.
• The ‘Ummeed’ guidelines were introduced by the Ministry of Education in 2023.
• The case stemmed from a plea related to the death of a 17-year-old NEET aspirant in Andhra Pradesh.

Centre’s Initiatives and Next Steps

The Ministry of Education has already introduced initiatives such as ‘Ummeed’ — which stands for Understand, Motivate, Manage, Empathise, Empower, and Develop — and the ‘Manodarpan’ programme launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to support student well-being. The Supreme Court emphasised that these initiatives must be actively implemented across institutions to create safe, supportive learning environments. The matter will now be revisited in early 2026 after submission of compliance reports from all jurisdictions.