In a significant move to address the growing mental health crisis among students, the Supreme Court on Friday issued a set of binding guidelines aimed at safeguarding the emotional well-being of students across schools, colleges, and private coaching centres.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta passed the directions while hearing a petition filed by the father of a student who died under suspicious circumstances during her NEET coaching at Aakash Byju’s Institute in Visakhapatnam last year. The tragic incident, in which the student fell from her hostel terrace, brought renewed attention to the intense academic pressure faced by aspirants.
Recognising the urgency of the issue, the apex court issued 15 actionable directives to prevent student suicides and promote mental health support within educational settings. The court noted that these directions would remain in force until appropriate legislation is enacted.
Key among the directions, the Supreme Court mandated all states and Union Territories to formulate and notify rules within two months. These rules must include mandatory registration for private coaching centres, clearly defined student protection norms, and grievance redressal mechanisms.
Additionally, the court directed the formation of district-level monitoring committees, led by District Magistrates, to ensure proper implementation, conduct inspections, and address complaints related to educational institutions and coaching centres.
The court also instructed the Union of India to file a compliance affidavit within 90 days, outlining progress made on regulation, coordination with state governments, monitoring systems, and updates from the National Task Force on student mental health.
“This Court considers it necessary to lay down interim guidelines to protect the mental health and overall well-being of students until appropriate legislative or regulatory frameworks are in place,” the bench stated.
The order is being hailed as a landmark intervention, coming at a time when student suicides—particularly among competitive exam aspirants—have become a national concern.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)