The order came after a petition was filed by the father of a student who died after falling from a hostel terrace when she was at Aakash Byju’s Institute in Vishakapatnam in July. The court has notified all states and Union Territories to implement these rules within two months
Protests were held at the campus of KIIT as students were enraged Pic/X@NEPALIPAISA
The Supreme Court released a 15-pointer guideline to improve the mental health of students in light of the rise in student suicide cases in India. The bench, which comprised Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, maintained that mental well-being was a part of Article 21 Right to Life.
The Court said that an “education is meant to liberate, not burden the learner, and that its true success lies not in grades or rankings but in the holistic growth of a human being.”
Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta. Pic/Supreme Court
The order came after a petition was filed by the father of a student who died after falling from a hostel terrace when she was at Aakash Byju’s Institute in Vishakapatnam in July. The court has notified all states and Union Territories to implement these rules within two months. The Union of India has been asked to file compliance affidavit within 90 days. The document will contain details about implementation steps, coordination with states, regulatory progress, monitoring mechanisms.
Here are some of the important points:
. Educational institutions must adopt a uniform mental health policy
. Appoint counsellors for every 100 students
. Institutions must maintain optimal student-to-counsellor ratios, especially during exams
. Suicide helplines must be prominently displayed
. Staff must receive regular training to identify to distress
. All staff must engage sensitively with students from marginalised backgrounds
. Mechanisms to address harassment and bullying must be in place, with prompt action and psycho-social support
. Parents must be sensitised to mental health
. All institutions shall maintain anonymised records and prepare an annual report
. All educational institutions shall prioritise extracurricular activities
. Special care is mandated for coaching hubs like Kota and Hyderabad, with stricter oversight to protect students from excessive stress and suicide risks
Udaipur dental student
A 25-year-old, final-year dental student at Pacific Dental College was found dead in her hostel July 24, sparking outrage, protests, and allegations against the college. She was pursuing a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS). Her last note mentioned the names of two faculty members who were then immediately expelled.
Odisha student self-immolation
A 20-year-old college student in Balasore set herself on fire after an internal committee of the college deemed her sexual assault complaint invalid. After a denial of justice, the student immolated herself on July 12, suffered extreme burns and passed away on the night of July 14.
KIIT suicide case
A nationwide outrage was triggered when a Nepali girl student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) was allegedly driven to suicide by an act of assault performed on her by students on campus on February 16. Protests were held at the campus of KIIT as students were enraged.
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