Maharashtra sees rise in suicide among higher education students; Bombay HC calls for immediate action
Maharashtra sees rise in suicide among higher education students; Bombay HC calls for immediate action
As per data 1487, 1648, and 1834 students committed suicide in 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively.
July 31, 2024
The Bombay High Court (HC) on Tuesday, July 30, remarked that the rise in suicide among college students is “alarming” and urged everyone involved to take prompt action to curb such incidents.
A division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar further stated that each student’s overall well-being, including their mental and physical health, is an integral part.
The court made these statements while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by 57-year-old child rights activist Shobha Panchmukh, who brought attention to the rise in student suicides. The plea raised concerns regarding the inadequate measures to curb suicidal tendencies among college students.
The petition asks Mumbai University (MU) to issue a directive requiring all connected or associated colleges to have counsellors on staff to address to deal with their mental health and also spread awareness among students for their wellbeing.
The petitioner’s attorney cited data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) showing that 1487, 1648, and 1834 students committed suicide in 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively. This indicates a growing pattern.
In response to this, the HC stated that such a situation is not just alarming but calls for immediate measures by all concerned.
The court pointed out that the Maharashtra Universities Act’s Section 5(36) requires universities to set up plans for fostering a healthy environment and guaranteeing the welfare of students in colleges, universities, and other institutions. The bench said that it believes that the University has a duty to take action to establish an environment at colleges and other institutions where suicide incidents do not occur.
State attorney Jyoti Chavan told the court that the plea was not being considered adversarial, but she recommended that the Centre be included as a respondent because it has a dedicated budget for suicide prevention.
Since many colleges are now gaining autonomy, Chavan made the point that the University Grants Commission (UGC) needs to be included as a respondent as well. Chavan said that it is a larger issue and not just about the universities.
The petitioner was then asked by the bench to include UGC as a respondent in the PIL. The Maharashtra government, the University of Mumbai, and the Higher and Technical Education Department have been instructed by the High Court to submit their affidavits in answer to the plea within a span of three weeks.
