"The Stress Starts There": Supreme Court Panel Says NEET, Coaching Pressure Fuel Student Suicides

Student suicides cannot be explained by mental health concerns alone, according to the findings emerging from the Supreme Court-appointed National Task Force (NTF) on student mental health. The panel is expected to recommend a broader approach, identifying competitive entrance examinations, coaching pressure, curriculum changes and institutional challenges as key factors contributing to student distress. The final report is likely to be submitted to the Supreme Court in October.

Panel Expands Focus Beyond Mental Health

The National Task Force, led by former Supreme Court judge Justice (Retd) S Ravindra Bhat, was constituted in March 2025 to examine the increasing number of student suicides in higher educational institutions and suggest preventive measures.

While the panel's official mandate is limited to higher education, its consultations reportedly found that many of the pressures faced by students begin much earlier during school education and the race to crack competitive entrance examinations.

The task force submitted its interim report on June 8 and is expected to present its final recommendations later this year. According to sources familiar with the deliberations, the report argues that student suicides should be viewed as the result of multiple social, academic and institutional pressures rather than solely as a mental health issue.

"Mental health is only one part of the picture. Every student who thinks of suicide is not necessarily suffering from a mental disorder. There are multiple stressors, academic pressure, discrimination, financial hardship, social isolation, language barriers, family expectations and institutional challenges -- that accumulate over time," the person said.

NEET Row, Coaching Culture Under Spotlight

The panel is expected to underline the role played by India's competitive examination system, particularly the coaching ecosystem, in creating long-term psychological pressure among students.

The recent controversy surrounding the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) is likely to be highlighted as an example. The examination conducted on May 3 was cancelled after allegations of a question paper leak and was held again on June 21. The uncertainty surrounding the examination reportedly caused widespread anxiety among aspirants and was linked to several student suicides.

Officials associated with the exercise also believe that frequent changes in school curricula, examination patterns and teaching methods increase stress even before students enter universities. The implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), including revised NCERT textbooks, curriculum reforms and the three-language policy, has also transformed the academic environment in recent years.

"The stress starts there. Coaching culture, academic competition and entrance examinations create immense pressure. While these areas are outside the formal mandate of the task force, they cannot be ignored because they eventually feed into the higher education ecosystem," the person said.

Infrastructure Gaps and Language Barriers Add to Pressure

The report is also expected to point to several institutional shortcomings that affect student well-being after admission to colleges and universities.

Students from non-English-medium backgrounds reportedly struggle in technical institutions where English remains the primary language of instruction. During consultations, issues such as social isolation, discrimination and inadequate academic support emerged repeatedly.

The panel is also expected to highlight overcrowded campuses, faculty shortages, hostel shortages, delayed scholarship payments and limited teacher-student interaction as significant factors adding to student stress.

The Supreme Court, while hearing Amit Kumar & Ors v. Union of India (2026), had observed that student suicides in India doubled over a decade, reaching nearly 13,000 cases in 2022. The court noted that these deaths exceeded farmer suicides during the same year and accounted for 7.6 per cent of all suicides nationwide. Following these observations, it constituted the National Task Force to study the issue and recommend preventive measures.

Recommendations May Focus on Reducing Academic Burden

The task force carried out one of the country's largest consultations on student well-being before preparing its recommendations.

Around 60,000 teachers, nearly 16,000 colleges and universities, and between 2.5 lakh and 3 lakh parents and members of the public participated in its surveys. The panel also visited nearly 40 educational institutions and interacted with students from diverse backgrounds, including women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, students from the Northeast, persons with disabilities and learners from economically weaker regions.

Among its likely recommendations are reducing excessive curriculum load, encouraging critical thinking instead of rote learning and giving students greater flexibility to pursue subjects that match their interests rather than careers driven by family or social expectations.

"The objective should be the overall wellness of children. Education policies should reduce unnecessary academic pressure and encourage logical thinking instead of information overload," the person said.

The National Task Force had earlier submitted an interim report to the Supreme Court in November last year and has continued consultations with stakeholders since then. Its final report is expected to be placed before the apex court later this year.