SC Flays Student Suicide Wave, Asks IIT-Kharagpur, Sharda University to Submit Reports

The Supreme Court on Monday was agitated over the wave of suicides among students in leading educational institutions and took suo motu cognizance of the two recent cases involving IIT-Kharagpur and Sharda University. The Court stated that "something is seriously wrong with the educational system" and ordered both the universities to submit in-depth reports.

A bench headed by Chief Justice warned institutions that they could be held in contempt if they failed to file FIRs within time. "It is not an isolated case. We need to know why the students are being pushed to take extreme steps," the bench observed.

The accident is the sequel to the sudden death of Ritam Mondal, who was a fourth-year student of IIT-Kharagpur studying mechanical engineering, and was spotted hanging from the ceiling of his hostel room on July 18. He is the fourth student to have committed suicide this year on the campus. IIT officials also stated that Mondal's recent behavior showed no indication of mental turmoil. A fact-finding committee has been formed, and the institution assured full cooperation with the ongoing investigation.

Another student suicide at Sharda University has joined the chorus of criticism against the campus mental health care and pressure-cooker academic environment in Indian higher education.

The Court has directed the two universities to submit detailed reports on student welfare mechanisms, grievance redressal mechanism, and past history of any such incidents. The case has been adjourned for further hearing next Monday.

The Supreme Court action is a testament to growing judicial alarm about student mental health, forcing colleges to reconsider the emotional and psychological price of college life—and move quickly before lives are lost once more.