SC directs states, UTs to report implementation of mental health guidelines in institutes

New Delhi: Taking note of the alarming rise in suicides and mental health challenges among students, including those in medical and higher education institutions, the Supreme Court has directed all States and Union Territories to submit compliance reports within eight weeks on the implementation of its guidelines.

A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta also asked the Central Government to file a detailed affidavit on the steps taken to roll out these mental health and suicide prevention norms.

The Court was reviewing the status of compliance with its July 25 judgment, which had mandated educational institutions and coaching centres across India - including medical colleges -to adopt a uniform mental health policy, and set up grievance redressal mechanisms for students.

According to a recent PTI report, the Supreme Court on Monday asked all states and Union Territories to apprise it within eight weeks about the implementation of the guidelines it prescribed to deal with mental health issues and suicide among students in educational institutions.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta also granted eight weeks to the Centre to file a compliance affidavit, detailing the steps taken to implement these guidelines. It was hearing a matter about compliance with the guidelines prescribed by the apex court in its July 25 judgement.

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In that verdict, the top court had directed that all states and Union Territories shall, as far as practicable, notify rules within two months mandating registration, student protection norms and grievance redressal mechanisms for all private coaching centres.

During the hearing on Monday, the bench was told that in the July verdict, the Centre was directed to file a compliance affidavit before the court within 90 days.

The bench directed that all states and Union Territories be impleaded as respondents in the matter, and they may file their responses within eight weeks. It posted the matter for further hearing in January 2026.

Taking note of the rise in suicides in educational institutions, the apex court stressed addressing the gravity of mental health crisis afflicting students and issued pan-India guidelines to deal with it.

It had said there remains a "legislative and regulatory vacuum" in the country with respect to a unified, enforceable framework for suicide prevention of students in educational institutions, coaching centres, and student-centric environments.

While issuing 15 guidelines, the bench said they shall remain in force and be binding until such time as appropriate legislation or regulatory frameworks are enacted by the competent authority.

It had said all educational institutions shall adopt and implement a uniform mental health policy, drawing cues from the 'Ummeed' draft guidelines, the 'Manodarpan' initiative, and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy.

"This policy shall be reviewed and updated annually and made publicly accessible on institutional websites and notice boards of the institutes," the bench had said.

It had said the Centre, so far, had taken several preventive steps to check and correct the situation and at the school level, the 'Ummeed' (understand, motivate, manage, empathise, empower, and develop) draft guidelines for prevention of student suicide were released by the Ministry of Education in 2023.

It had noted that for a broader reach, the Ministry of Education had launched 'Manodarpan', mental health and well-being of students during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

The July 25 verdict had come on an appeal against an order of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, rejecting the plea to transfer the investigation into the unnatural death of a 17-year-old National Eligibility-Entrance Test aspirant, preparing in Vishakhapatnam, to the CBI.

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