Supreme Court Mandates New Mental Health Policies for Students

In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court of India in Sukdeb Saha vs. State of Andhra Pradesh (25 July 2025) declared student mental health an integral component of the fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the constitution. The court’s decision was prompted by the tragic case of a 17-year-old NEET aspirant, whose death was initially classified as a suicide despite significant inconsistencies in the investigation. This ruling establishes a new precedent, making it mandatory for all educational institutions across India, including public and private schools, colleges, universities, training centres, coaching institutes, residential academies, and hostels, irrespective of their affiliation to implement comprehensive mental health safeguards.

Key Takeaways from the Ruling

The Supreme Court, exercising its powers under Article 32, has issued 15 binding directives that apply to all public and private schools, colleges, universities, training centers, and hostels. The guidelines aim to create a framework for preventing student suicides, providing for early detection of distress, and establishing robust support systems.

Here are some of the key mandates from the court's judgement:

1. Adoption of a uniform Mental Health Policy : Institutions must adopt and implement a mental health policy aligned with UMMEED Draft Guidelines, MANODARPAN initiative, and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. The policy must be reviewed annually and published on websites and notice boards.

2. Appointment of Mental Health Professionals: Institutions with 100+ students must appoint at least one qualified counsellor, psychologist, or social worker with expertise in child/adolescent mental health. Smaller institutions must establish referral linkages with external professionals.

3. Student-to-Counsellor Ratio: Institutions must ensure optimal counsellor availability. Dedicated mentors/counsellors should be assigned to small student groups, especially during exams and academic transitions, to provide consistent and confidential support.

4. No Batch Segregation or Public Shaming: Institutions, especially coaching centres, must avoid dividing students based on academic performance, imposing unrealistic academic targets, or publicly shaming students.

5. Protocols for Mental Health Emergencies: Institutions must establish written referral protocols for hospitals, mental health services, and suicide helplines. Suicide helpline numbers (e.g., Tele-MANAS) must be prominently displayed across campuses and online platforms.

6. Mandatory Staff Training: Teaching and non-teaching staff must undergo training at least twice a year by certified mental health professionals. Training must cover psychological first-aid, identifying warning signs, responding to self-harm, and referral mechanisms.

7. Sensitivity towards Marginalised Students: All staff must be trained to sensitively engage with vulnerable and marginalised groups (SC/ST/OBC, EWS, LGBTQ+, students with disabilities, those affected by trauma or bereavement) in a non-discriminatory manner.

8. Reporting & Redressal Mechanism: Institutions must create confidential and accessible systems to report sexual assault, harassment, ragging, and bullying. They must set up empowered internal committees, ensure timely action, provide psycho-social support, and protect whistle-blowers. Failure to act can result in institutional liability.

9. Parent & Guardian Sensitisation: Institutions must organise sensitisation sessions for parents/guardians on student mental health. They should be educated to avoid undue academic pressure, recognise psychological distress, and support students empathetically. Mental health literacy should be integrated into student orientation.

10. Annual Mental Health Report: Institutions must maintain anonymised records of wellness interventions, referrals, training, and related activities. An annual report must be submitted to the relevant regulatory body (UGC, AICTE, CBSE, State Education Dept.).

11. Extracurricular & Examination Reforms: Institutions must prioritise extracurricular activities (sports, arts, personality development) and periodically review exam patterns to reduce academic stress and promote holistic student identity beyond ranks/scores.

12. Career Counselling Services : Institutions must provide structured career counselling for students and parents through qualified counsellors. These sessions must reduce unrealistic pressure, highlight diverse career paths, and ensure inclusivity.

13. Safe Residential Campuses : Hostel owners, wardens, and caretakers must keep campuses free from harassment, bullying, drugs, and harmful substances to ensure a safe living-learning environment.

14. Suicide Prevention Infrastructure : Residential institutions must install tamper-proof ceiling fans, restrict access to rooftops/balconies/high-risk areas to deter impulsive acts of self-harm.

15. Special Protection in Coaching Hubs :Cities like Kota, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Delhi, etc., must implement heightened mental health measures due to high student suicide rates. This includes career counselling, structured academic planning, continuous psychological support, and accountability mechanism.

What a Mental Health Policy Should Look Like

To operationalise the Court’s directives, institutions must translate them into robust internal policies. A mental health policy serves as the backbone for implementation, ensuring that safeguards are not just on paper but actively practiced.

1. Introduction and Scope: A strong policy begins with a clear scope, defining whom it applies to and affirming its inclusivity. It should explicitly recognise the needs of LGBTQIA+ students, persons with disabilities, and those from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

2. Support Systems: The policy must outline the counselling and wellbeing resources available. This includes on-campus services with clear contact details (e.g., counselling centre email and phone number), referral pathways to external professionals, and guidance on emergency hospital contacts.

3. Academic Accommodations Flexibility in academic requirements is essential: Students with mental health challenges should be able to request accommodations through a defined channel, such as contacting the Programme Coordinator or Disability and Inclusion Office, whose email IDs and office numbers must be listed in the policy.

4. Confidentiality and Privacy: Confidentiality should be guaranteed, with counsellor contact details clearly mentioned so students know where to reach out safely. Exceptions should be specified only in cases of self-harm, suicidality, or threats to others, in which case the emergency contact person identified in the student’s records may be reached.

5. Risk and Safety Measures: Institutions should provide for independent evaluations and crisis intervention. The policy should clearly display 24x7 emergency helpline numbers, hospital contacts, and the university’s designated emergency officer for immediate response.

6. Anti-Discrimination and Inclusion: The policy should ensure equal access to mental health services for all, regardless of identity or background. A dedicated grievance redressal contact (email ID and phone number) must be included so that students can report discrimination or bias in accessing services.

7. Implementation and Governance: Clear governance roles should be set out, along with direct contact details of responsible offices such as the counselling centre head, programme directors, or the student wellbeing office. This ensures accountability and accessibility.

8. Awareness and Sensitisation: Workshops, peer-support sessions, and awareness drives must be planned and advertised. Contact points (such as student mentors, peer-support groups, or mental health ambassadors) should be listed so students know whom to approach for participation.

9. Accessibility of Services: Services must be physically and digitally accessible. Policies should include online counselling links, appointment booking portals, and contact details for remote access, ensuring inclusivity for students who cannot attend in person.

10. Continuous Review and Feedback: Policies should be reviewed regularly, and feedback mechanisms should be transparent. A dedicated feedback email ID or online form link must be provided so students can confidentially suggest improvements to the mental health support system.