(In light of the Supreme Court’s National Task Force on Student Mental Health)

The emotional lives of students have long been treated as invisible curriculum—felt deeply, spoken rarely, and addressed too late. Yet the pressures they carry today are heavier than ever: academic competition, social comparison, financial strain, discrimination, isolation, and the quiet fear of falling short. Institutions that recognise this reality early become not only centres of learning but places of genuine growth.

On 24 March 2025, the Honourable Supreme Court of India took a landmark step. Acknowledging the rising mental-health burden and student suicides across the country, it constituted a National Task Force under the Chairpersonship of Justice (Retd.) S. Ravindra Bhat. The Task Force brings together leaders from psychiatry, psychology, women’s studies, disability rights, education, public health, and law—including experts such as Dr. Alok Sarin, Dr. Seema Mehrotra (NIMHANS), and senior government secretaries from multiple ministries. Its mandate is sweeping:
• identify causes of student suicides (including discrimination, harassment, academic stress, financial hardship, and stigma),
• examine existing policies,
• and recommend strong, preventive frameworks to build safer, more inclusive campuses.

This national initiative signals a new era: mental health is not optional. It is structural, systemic, and inseparable from education.

For schools and colleges, proactive care must rest on three pillars.

The first is early identification. Teachers, mentors, wardens, and administrators should be trained to recognise emotional red flags—withdrawal, persistent sadness, irritability, hopelessness, bullying, sleep disturbances, burnout, or substance use. Regular mental-health screenings, open-door policies, and stigma-free help-seeking pathways signal to students that distress is not a moral failure.

The second is accessible support. Institutions must provide trained counsellors, clear referral pathways to psychiatrists, peer-support groups, helplines, and crisis-intervention plans. Life-skills education—covering emotional regulation, conflict management, time planning, and coping strategies—protects students before they reach breaking points.

The third is psychological safety and justice. The Supreme Court’s remit is explicit: campuses must address ragging, caste-based discrimination, gender-based bias, sexual harassment, xenophobia, disability-related exclusion, and financial vulnerability. Safe hostels, transparent grievance redressal systems, anti-bullying cells, and inclusive classroom practices ensure students feel valued, not diminished.

When schools and colleges embed mental health into their culture—not as a reactive service but as a proactive ecosystem—young people flourish. They learn better, recover faster, and grow into compassionate adults who can navigate setbacks without losing themselves.

A mentally healthy campus is not a luxury; it is a responsibility. The Supreme Court’s Task Force reminds us that protecting student well-being is a national priority—one that begins in every classroom, every hostel corridor, and every conversation where a young person feels finally understood.