The Supreme Court questions IIT Kharagpur over rising student suicide cases, asking, “What is wrong with IIT Kharagpur?” amid growing concern for student mental health and accountability.
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NEW DELHI: On Monday, a Bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan took suo motu cognizance of student suicides reported from IIT Kharagpur and Sharda University, expressing serious concern over the safety and well-being of students. The Court questioned whether these institutions have truly reflected on the deeper reasons behind these tragic incidents.
The Supreme Court of India has spotlighted the mental health crisis arising inside some of the country’s premier educational institutions.
The Court Questioned,
“What is wrong with IIT KGP? Why are students committing suicide?”
Court’s Concern
The Supreme Court confronted the IIT Kharagpur administration:
“Have you given a thought to it?”
The Bench asked
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In response, the counsel for IIT Kharagpur informed the Court that a 10-member internal committee had been constituted to investigate the issue. The institute also claimed to have established a counselling centre, along with a 24/7 helpline aimed at identifying and supporting students facing mental health challenges.
Status of the Investigations
The Court was briefed that FIRs have been lodged in both the IIT Kharagpur and Sharda University cases. Notably, in the case of IIT Kharagpur, the administration acted swiftly and registered a complaint with the police within 30 minutes of learning about the suicide. The investigation is currently ongoing.
In contrast, the FIR in the Sharda University case was filed by the father of the deceased, and the probe is similarly in progress.
Given the ongoing investigations, the Bench refrained from making further observations and allowed the legal process to take its course.
During the proceedings, another distressing case was brought to the Court’s attention, a student suicide at IIT Delhi on June 4, for which no FIR has been registered yet. The Court instructed the Amicus Curiae to look into this matter, indicating that the problem is not isolated to a single institution.
The Court has posted the case for further consideration after four weeks, directing the authorities to submit more detailed reports and possibly outline concrete steps taken to address the issue.
Case Title: Amit Kumar & Ors. vs. Union of India & Ors.
Case Number: Criminal Appeal No. 1425/2025
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