Campus Suicides : Supreme Court Issues Directions To Smoothen NTF's Functioning

The Supreme Court on July 14 passed certain directions for the National Task Force ("NTF"), instituted by the Court to investigate the increasing suicide rates in college students, to carry out its work efficiently. It has also passed orders seeking an update on the investigations in connection with the suicide of two IIT Delhi students, one IIT Kharagpur student, and one case in Kota, Rajasthan.

Formed by the order dated March 24, the NTF, chaired by former Supreme Court Judge, Justice S. Ravindra Bhat, is meant to address mental health concerns of students and to prevent the rising suicides in higher educational institutions. Directions passed in a petition filed by parents of two IIT Delhi students, who allegedly committed suicide due to caste-based discrimination and academic pressure, require an institution to promptly register a first information report in the event of a suicide on campus.

On July 14, a bench comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, which had passed an order for the formation of the NTF, heard the matter on the status report filed via the Amicus and Senior Advocate Aparna Bhat.

As per the report, a survey of questionnaires, approved by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, was piloted through field visits in Jamia Millia Islamia, Ramjas College, Delhi, the Institute of Science and the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute. 

The NTF has highlighted certain challenges it faces, such as setting up of Secretariat and finding a physical space and creation of a website. As for the need for physical space, the Court passed an order for the Union to provide the same within four weeks, which needs to be accessible in all respects. 

Second, many States are yet to appoint Nodal Officers which are to facilitate necessary information and data. These States are Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tamil Nadu, Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, and Lakshadweep. 

The Court has given two weeks to the States and UTs to appoint Nodal Officers, failing which the Court will take appropriate action against the respective Chief Secretaries. 

Moreover, the NTF has highlighted the issue with the National Crime Records Bureau(NCRB) data, as it does not provide unit-level data on suicides by students. There are gaps in data received by the UGC, AICTE, Dental Council, and the National Medical Council. Therefore, a separation application seeking the appointment of the Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, as an ex-officio member has been filed to facilitate access to the data. This application was approved by the Court.

The Court also allowed an impleadment of the Ministry of Education, Department of Higher Education, in this matter. The next hearing is on July 21.

Case Details: AMIT KUMAR & ORS. VERSUS UNION OF INDIA & ORS.|Criminal Appeal No.1425/2025

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Appearances: For Appellant(s) : Mr. Mehmood Pracha, Adv. Mr. R. H. A. Sikander, AOR Mr. Jatin Bhatt, Adv. Mr. Sanawar, Adv. Mr. Kshitij Singh, Adv. Ms. Nujhat Naseem, Adv. Mr. Sikander, Adv.

IA 159139/25 Mr. Sanpreet Singh Ajmani, Adv. Amitoz Kaur, Adv. Mr. Amit Kumar, Adv. Ms. Shivani A., Adv.

For Respondent(s) : Mr. Arvind Kumar Sharma, AOR Ms. Mrinal Gopal Elker, AOR Ms. Chhavi Khandelwal, Adv. Mr. K.M. Nataraj, ASG Mr. Brijender Chahar, A.S.G. Mr. Mukesh Kumar Maroria, AOR Mr. Abhijit Pandove, Adv. Mr. Amit Sharma Ii, Adv. Mrs. Bani Dikshit, Adv. Mr. Varun Chugh, Adv. Mr. Gaurang Bhushan, Adv. Mr. Jagdish Chandra, Adv. Mr. Vatsal Joshi, Adv. Mr. Chitransh Sharma, Adv Ms. Aparna Bhat, Amicus Curiae Mr. Mayank Sapra, AOR Ms. Madhulika Mohta, Adv. Ms. Lalima Das, Adv.

Mr. Sanpreet Singh Ajmani, AOR

Mr. Sameer Abhyankar, AOR Ms. Yashika Sharma, Adv. Mr. Aryan Srivastava, Adv. Ms. Yachna Sharma, Adv. Mr. Aakash Thakur

Adv.Mr. Sudarshan Lamba, AOR Mr. Brijender Chahar, A.S.G. Mr. Abhijeet Pandove, Adv. Mr. Amit Sharma B, Adv. Mr. Gaurang Bhushan, Adv. Ms. Bani Dikshit, Adv. Mr. Jagdish Chandra, Adv. Mr. Karan Chahar, Adv.

Ms. Vidushi Bajpai, AOR Mr. Ravinder Pal Singh, Adv. Mr. Goverdhan Prasad Tiwari, Adv.

Mr. M. R. Shamshad, Sr. Adv. Mr. Manu Krishnang, Adv. Mr. Amith Krishnan H, AOR Mr. K M Natraj, A.S.G. Mr. Shiv Mangal Sharma, A.A.G. Ms. Nidhi Jaswal, AOR Mr. Mahesh Agarwal, Adv. Mr. Rishi Agrawala, Adv. Mr. Aroon Menon, Adv. Ms. Madhavi Agarwal, Adv. Mr. Sanjeevi Seshadri, Adv. Mr. Akshay Agarwal, Adv. Mr. Manish Sharma, Adv. Mr. E. C. Agrawala, AOR