New Delhi: Highlighting the “disturbing pattern” of students suicides in the country, the Supreme Court has formed a National Work Force (NTF) to come up with guidelines to address and reduce the underlying causes.
Between 2019 and 2021, 35,950 students died of suicide in India in December 2023, according to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. While 10,335 students suicide were recorded in 2019, it was 12,526 in 2020 and 13,089 in 2021, the ministry informed Lok Salhha.
In fact, the apex court referred to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2021, showing that more than 13,000 students lost their lives by committing suicide that year. Suicide cases have also been reported from premiere higher educational institutions such as NITs, IIMs and IITS.
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Retired SC Judge Shreepati Ravindra Bhat will be the chief of the 10-member NTF. Along with independence to “surprise inspection”, the task force will also look at the systemic discrimination faced by the students, especially due to their caste.
Monday’s decision by an SC bench of Justice. In their petition, parents allege that their children were victims of caste-based discrimination as they belonged to Scheduled Castes and were murdered. Ayush and Anil were found dead in their hostel rooms on 8 July and 1 September 2023.
Theprint explains the mandate and composition of the task force that will have to submit an interim report within four months and a final report within eight months.
NTF mandate
The National Center for Employment of Employment for Employment as well as the Representatives of the Women Development Studies Center for people with the National Center for Employment of Employment for Employment and the Representatives of the Diverse will be part of the NTF. The founder of a non-profit organization Aman Satya Kachro Trust is also a part of the task force.
These experts will look through the intersection of various disciplines, which ensures that none of the inherent factors known for suicides and its prevention has not been remembered.
The former officer of this task force will be the Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Social Justice and Empowerment Department, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Women and Child Development and Department of Child Development and Department of Legal Affairs, Department of Law and Justice, GOI.
The NTF, the Supreme Court said, “Will investigate various reasons for suicides,” ragging, caste-based discrimination, gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, academic pressure, financial burden, mental health stigma, ethnicity based discrimination, tribal identity, sexual orientation, political views, religious beliefs, religious beliefs, religious beliefs, are not limited to any other people.
The proper identity of gaps and flaws – who leads to students suicides – is the first step on the path to ensure better mental health resources and support systems.
Secondly, intensive evaluation of existing policies and laws that apply to high institutions, “about ragging, caste-based and gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, mental health assistance, support for students facing educational challenges, financial assistance to students in need of money, etc.
The reason for this is that ensuring just access to education is important for a fair and inclusive learning environment, the apex court said. It is important to hold an inquiry on systemic discrimination that students may face due to their identity.
The judgment also states that NTF is to propose important amendments, which “to be done for the current legal and institutional structure to ensure the existing legal and institutional structure to ensure” existing legal and institutional framework “. These, this couple,” this couple, “addressing the current interval, creating a more inclusive and supportive and supportive educational environment and ensuring equal opportunities to ensure equal opportunities for members of the communities of the communities. Will “be”.
The apex court stated that with changing the social landscape, it is important to keep the policies up to date to help the new challenges faced by the students in the institutions friendly.
SC has given NTF a special right to conduct any “surprise inspections” as they can reveal any case that is not being said by institutional authorities.
Investigating the most important factors to increase students suicides, the court mentioned how “a purely score-based education system, together with extreme competition for limited seats in premiere educational institutions, puts great pressure on students”. In addition, “caste-based discrimination and cruelty in the form of ragging” which is often hidden by institutions, violates the right to education and the right to dignity of students.
In these situations, the SC bench said, “Sensification of students and faculty members” to ensure that the campuses become a safe place, which are the same for students coming from different fields of life.
Finally, the decision of the decision universities is “responsible for the good and overall development of their students. And, failure to do so in the status quo, establishes institutional sympathy and a lack of accountability by higher educational institutions.
“The duty of college officials is only to ensure the educational excellence of the students, but also to ensure their mental good, and also to provide assistance not only to practice and control the students but also to provide help in time of crisis,” also said.
(Ruchi Bhattar is a fifth year law from Calcutta University and is an internship with Wayprint)
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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