A Crucial Intervention

The Supreme Court's decision to form a National Task Force on student suicides marks a critical turning point in addressing a crisis that has been ignored for too long.

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The rising number of suicides in higher educational institutions is a grim reflection of the pressures, discrimination, and neglect that many students face. The Court's observation that student suicides have now surpassed those of farmers due to agrarian distress is a shocking indictment of our education system and the society that enables such tragedies. The case that led to this ruling involved two IIT Delhi students, Ayush Ashna and Anil Kumar, both from marginalized communities, whose parents alleged they were victims of caste discrimination and institutional neglect. Despite their repeated pleas, the police refused to register FIRs, citing lack of evidence. Frustrated by the inaction, the families turned to the Supreme Court, which not only ordered investigations but also recognized that these deaths were not isolated incidents. It cited multiple recent suicides in premier institutions across the country, making it clear that something is deeply wrong within the system.