The Delhi High Court has voiced deep concern over the rising incidents of student suicides, stressing the urgent need for a “robust and efficient” anti-ragging helpline as part of a broader response to the crisis.
A Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal, in an order passed on Wednesday, cited a Supreme Court ruling, which underscored mental health challenges and suicides in higher educational institutions.
“The court has already observed that it is deeply concerned with the issue of student suicides, which are becoming more frequent, and that urgent steps need to be taken, as also underscored by the Supreme Court,” the court said.
“To put in place robust, efficient, and effective processes and programmes to address the issue, at the very least, a proper functional and effective anti-ragging helpline is certainly an immediate and utmost necessity. This can brook no delay lest we lose more young lives to this scourge,” the court remarked.
The court was hearing two separate petitions filed by Aman Satya Kachroo Trust, seeking various reliefs regarding management of the National Ragging Prevention Programme, which was run by the trust since 2012, but was discontinued in April 2022 following the University Grants Commission (UGC) notice of awarding it to Centre for Youth Society, an NGO.
