The Supreme Court expressed deep disappointment over the lack of cooperation from India’s premier educational institutions in a crucial survey aimed at understanding and preventing student suicides on campuses. The apex court revealed that despite multiple reminders, nearly 57,000 educational institutions, including leading IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, and NITs, have failed to respond to the survey ordered by the court itself.
The survey, being carried out by a National Task Force (NTF) headed by retired Justice Ravindra Bhat, was mandated to study the causes and remedies for the alarming rise in student suicides in higher educational institutions. The task force includes experts from fields such as psychiatry, psychology, and education, and seeks to develop actionable recommendations to improve student well-being.
According to data presented before the bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, around 98 students have taken their lives in premier institutions since 2018, 39 from IITs, 25 from NITs, 25 from central universities, and four from IIMs.
Senior advocate Aparna Bhat, assisting the court as amicus curiae, informed the bench that despite being reminded four times, several top institutes have remained silent. “The list of non-cooperating institutes includes 17 IITs, 15 IIMs, 16 AIIMS, and 24 NITs, which have not responded to the survey,” she said, adding that only about 3,500 institutes have submitted their responses so far.
The bench strongly criticised the situation, saying the survey is being done “in the interest of students” and needs all institutions to participate. “These institutes must fully cooperate and support the National Task Force to complete its report,” the court stressed.
The court noted that the Union government had already written to the institutes four times, urging them to cooperate, but there was still no response from many of them. “We request the Union of India to once again take up this issue very seriously and impress upon all these institutes to cooperate,” the bench directed.
In a rare gesture, senior advocate Harish Salve, who was present in court for another matter, volunteered to take up the issue with all IITs in the country to encourage their participation. The bench appreciated his initiative, calling it a move in the larger interest of students.
The court gave a final warning to the non-cooperating institutes, saying, “We are offering one last chance for all these institutes to participate in the survey; failure to do so may lead to orders that could be unfavorable and damage the reputation of the respective institutions.”
The Supreme Court had constituted the multi-disciplinary task force earlier this year to study the growing incidents of student suicides across educational institutions. This is a matter of grave national concern. The panel has been given the work of examining a broad spectrum of potential causes, including:
- Ragging and harassment
- Caste, gender, and religion-based discrimination
- Sexual harassment and bullying
- Academic pressure and financial burden
- Mental health stigma and lack of counselling facilities
- Discrimination based on ethnicity, disability, or sexual orientation
The bench also drew attention to another concern raised in the amicus curiae’s report i.e. the delay in releasing scholarships to Scheduled Caste students. “We want to understand why the scholarship amounts are not disbursed promptly once the applications are approved,” the court noted, requesting a response from the Centre.
The task force’s work is being delayed because many institutes are not cooperating. The Supreme Court warned that it will not accept this neglect and may take strict action against institutes that ignore its orders.
The rising number of suicides in top campuses has caused nationwide concern, yet the slow response from institutions shows a worrying disregard for student mental health. Experts warn that this inaction delays necessary reforms and worsens the struggles of thousands of students facing pressure, isolation, and discrimination. The Supreme Court’s renewed efforts aim to make India’s premier institutions not just centers of academic excellence but also examples of care, inclusivity, and emotional safety for students.
