9 Per Cent Of Higher Education Students Report Suicidal Thoughts, Supreme Court-Appointed Panel’s Survey Finds
New Delhi, September 29, 2026: About 15% of students in higher education institutions experienced a period of severe distress or felt overwhelmed in the previous six months, while 9% reported experiencing suicidal thoughts often or very often in the past year, according to a nationwide survey conducted by a Supreme Court-appointed panel examining student suicides. The findings are expected to…
<India> September 29, 2026 - A nationwide survey conducted by a Supreme Court-appointed panel reveals alarming mental health issues among students in higher education institutions. The study, which gathered responses from over 2.43 lakh students, found that 15% experienced severe distress or overwhelming feelings in the past six months, with 9% reporting frequent suicidal thoughts in the past year.
The survey, part of the National Task Force's efforts to address student mental health concerns, also found that 34% of respondents felt like outsiders on campus. While 56% of students trusted their administration to handle serious issues fairly, only 32% reported that their institutions offered counselling services. The survey authors cautioned that the preliminary findings should not be treated as representative of all students due to the non-representative nature of the sample.
Experts emphasized the need for standardized support systems, faculty training, stigma reduction measures, crisis SOPs, regular monitoring, and responsive administration to address student mental health concerns. The task force's interim report highlighted deep-rooted social discrimination, sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and caste-based humiliation in higher education institutions.
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