Prelims – Indian Polity & Governance.
Mains – GS II | Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Why in the News?
Recently, a National Task Force (NTF) on Student Mental Health was formed.
- Formed by – Supreme Court of India.
- Objectives – To address the mental health concerns of students and to prevent student suicides in institutions of higher education.
- Need – National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2021 highlights that over 13,000 students lost their lives by committing suicide in the country, which is almost twice a decade ago.
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Status of Student suicides in Higher Educational Institutions
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- Rajya Sabha discussion data (2023) – 98 student suicides in colleges of higher education from the years 2018 to 2023.
- 39 in IITs
- 25 in National Institutes of Technology (NITs)
- 25 in central universities
- 4 in Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs)
- 3 in Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs)
- 2 in Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs)
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According to the NCRB report, student suicides accounted for 7.6% of the total suicides in India in 2022, with 1.2% of total suicides attributable to professional or career problems and 1.2% to failure in examinations.
- Composition – Chairman and ex-officio members
- Ex-officio members – Secretaries of the ministries of higher education, social justice and empowerment, legal affairs, and women & child development.
- Functions – Determining the most significant factors for student suicides.
- Reviewing current rules and providing suggestions.
- Carrying out surprise checks at universities and colleges.
- It can make recommendations for additional steps beyond its original mandate for efficient handling of student mental health issues.
- Report preparation:
- Interim report - within 4 months.
- Final report - within 8 months.
Reference
The New Indian Express| NTF for Student Mental Health
