The Supreme Court has created a national task force to address students' mental health concerns

Under the direction of former Supreme Court Judge Justice S Ravindra Bhat, the task committee will identify the primary causes of student suicides and offer solutions for creating a more accepting and supportive learning environment.

India's Student Death Rate

The NCRB 2022 study found that 7.6% of all suicides in India in 2022 were committed by students.

Suicides among students increased from 6,654 during the previous ten years to 13,044 between 2012 and 2022. Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh had the highest rates of student suicides on record.

The cause of student suicides

Failure, stress, and dissatisfaction with one's studies are examples of academic causes.

Bullying, ragging, and discrimination based on political or religious beliefs are examples of institutional factors.

Discrimination on the basis of caste, gender, sexual orientation, and ethnicity are examples of socioeconomic factors. Others include the financial crisis and online gaming.

Actions taken in India to lower the number of student suicides

The MANODARPAN program of the Ministry of Education provides psychosocial support for the mental health and wellness of students.

With the goal of reducing suicide mortality by 10% by 2030, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) unveiled the National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS) in 2022.

The National Tele Mental Health Programme (NTMHP) aims to improve access to mental health services by offering a 24-hour, toll-free helpline.

Draft Suicide Prevention: Guidelines for Schools (UMMEED): Understanding, Motivating, Managing, Empathizing, Empowering, and Developing, 2023.