The Supreme Court has directed all States and Union Territories to submit reports within eight weeks on implementing mental health and suicide prevention guidelines in educational institutions. The Centre has also been asked to file a compliance affidavit within the same period.
The Supreme Court instructed all states and Union Territories to report back within eight weeks regarding the implementation of guidelines aimed at addressing mental health issues and suicide among students in educational institutions.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta also granted the Centre an eight-week period to submit a compliance affidavit detailing the actions taken to enforce these guidelines.
The court was reviewing adherence to the directives established in its judgment on July 25.
In that ruling, the Supreme Court mandated that all states and Union Territories, where feasible, formulate rules within two months to ensure the registration of private coaching centers, establish student protection norms, and create grievance redressal mechanisms.
During the latest hearing, the bench noted that the Centre was instructed in the July judgment to file a compliance affidavit within 90 days.
The bench ordered that all states and Union Territories be included as respondents in the case, allowing them to submit their responses within the stipulated eight weeks. The matter has been adjourned for further review in January 2026.
Recognizing the increase in suicides within educational institutions, the Supreme Court emphasized the urgency of tackling the mental health crisis affecting students and issued comprehensive guidelines for addressing this issue nationwide.
It highlighted the existing “legislative and regulatory vacuum” in the country regarding a cohesive and enforceable framework for student suicide prevention in educational settings, coaching centers, and student-focused environments.
In its issuance of 15 guidelines, the bench stated that these would remain effective and binding until relevant legislation or regulatory frameworks are developed by the appropriate authorities.
It mandated that all educational institutions implement a standardized mental health policy, drawing inspiration from the ’Ummeed’ draft guidelines, the ’Manodarpan’ initiative, and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy.
The bench specified,
“This policy shall be reviewed and updated annually and made publicly accessible on institutional websites and notice boards of the institutes,”
The court noted that the Centre has already initiated various preventive measures to address the situation, including the release of the ’Ummeed’ (understand, motivate, manage, empathise, empower, and develop) draft guidelines for suicide prevention among students by the Ministry of Education in 2023.
Additionally, to broaden its outreach, the Ministry launched ’Manodarpan’ to support the mental health and well-being of students during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
The July 25 verdict arose from an appeal against a decision by the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which denied a request to transfer the investigation into the unnatural death of a 17-year-old National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test aspirant preparing in Vishakhapatnam to the CBI.