SC issues guidelines: Suicide prevention for NEET students

Introduction

The disturbing rise in student suicide cases is affecting every individual; from teachers to parents, everyone is concerned. This is particularly prevalent among NEET aspirants, prompting the Supreme Court of India to intervene in this issue for the students' well-being.The Supreme Court acknowledged the serious mental health concerns, the academic burden, and the psychological pressure faced by students while preparing for competitive exams. A recent case of a 17-year-old NEET applicant from Visakhapatnam who died by suicide while preparing for the NEET exam, as per reports. This is tragic news, so the court decided to issue temporary orders for mental health settings in all educational institutions, training facilities, and coaching institutes due to a lack of legislation and regulations.

The Supreme Court guidelines:

Here are a few guidelines issued by the government for the prevention of suicide cases:

Certified mental health professionals in Institutes

As per the Supreme Court, if enrolled students are more than 100, there must be at least one qualified counsellor, psychologist, or social worker. Students must get institutional support services with verified expertise in the adolescent mental health system.If any institute has few students, then it is mandatory to establish formal referral linkages with external mental health professionals, organisations, or agencies to ensure all students have access mental healthcare.

Mandatory training for staff

Staff are required to undergo mandatory training at least twice a year. They should know how to identify warning signs, how to respond in case of self-harm, and how to follow psychological first aid protocols. This is important for creating a healthy environment among students.

Reducing academic pressure and targets

Educational institutions are instructed to prevent practices like batch segregation based on academic performance or marks. Training centers should promote awareness and follow proper, structured academic planning to reduce academic pressure. Institutions must ensure that academic targets disproportionate to students are not imposed.

Mental health services and helplines

In case of an emergency, institutions should have immediate access to mental health services. Institutes must also collaborate with local hospitals and suicide prevention helplines such as Tele-MANAS and other national services. Major helpline numbers must be prominently displayed within campuses.

Support for marginalized and vulnerable groups

Teachers and other staff should deal with every student equally and sensitively, especially students from backgrounds of SC, ST, OBC, EWS, or LGBTQ+, as well as students with disabilities, bereaved students, or those with histories of trauma or anxiety.

Robust redressal mechanisms

Institutions must establish strong and confidential systems to address incidents involving sexual assault, harassment, ragging, and bullying. If coaching centers fail to take timely or adequate action, especially when it could lead to self-harm or suicide, then institutes could face regulatory and legal consequences.

Parent and guardian engagement

Parents and guardians are required to attend sensitization programs; these programs will be conducted for student wellness. These programs will emphasise the need to avoid undue academic pressure and to recognise psychological distress among students.

Data, reporting, and oversight

Also, institutes are required to submit yearly reports to the regulatory body (such as the State Education Department or CBSE). Institutions must maintain anonymised records of wellness interventions, student referrals, training sessions, and mental health-related activities.

Promotion of extracurricular and career support

Institutes should take extracurricular activities and personality development initiatives. It's important to involve parents and students at the time of career counseling. This will help promote awareness of diverse academic pathways and reduce unrealistic academic pressure.

Campus safety and prevention measures

Residential-based educational institutions' campuses should be free from harassment and drugs. The installation of tamper-proof safety devices and restricted access to high-risk areas is advised.

Special focus on coaching hubs

Cities with large numbers of migrant students, such as Kota, Jaipur, Hyderabad, and Delhi, are to implement heightened mental health protections; also, continuous psychological support will be given.

Uniform mental health policy

Every educational institution is required to adopt a uniform mental health policy. The policy is inspired by the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. It must be reviewed annually to remain effective.

Monitoring, accountability, and the national Task Force

The court has instructed all the states and union territories to notify these new rules within two months. It's important for the student mental health and should be regulated in all coaching centres.

Conclusion

The Supreme Court’s measures will help reduce crises like student suicides due to academic pressure. These new mandatory frameworks push educational institutions, public and private schools, colleges, coaching centres, and hostels to treat student mental well-being with urgency and compassion.By appointing trained mental health professionals, providing continuous mental health services, structured career counseling, and legally binding protocols, India’s education system can be improved. The government is working to provide every student not only an education but also a safe, nurturing, and mentally healthy environment.

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