Top court holds colleges answerable for suicides

What the court ordered

- Abraham Thomas [e-mail]

The Supreme Court on Thursday held higher educational institutions (HEIs) accountable for students’ mental well-being, making it mandatory to report every suicide or unnatural death and provide round-theclock medical help on residential campuses, based on recommendations from an expert panel headed by a former SC judge.

A bench of justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan adopted findings from the National Task Force (NTF), constituted by the court in March 2025 under retired justice Ravindra S Bhat's chair- ‘manship. The panel identified systemic changes to curb student suicides based on a survey of HEIs. NTF was formed after the court took suo motu cognisance of rising campus suicides and the lack of effective redressal mechanisms.