Suicides surge in IITs, IIMs and other elite institutions: Will SC intervention put safety before reputation?

The rising incidence of student suicides at India’s top colleges, like IITs, IIMs, AIIMS , and NITs, has caught the eye of the Supreme Court . Since 2018, over 98 students have died, with 39 of these tragedies occurring at IITs alone, according to TNN data. To address the issue, the Court had set up a National Task Force led by retired Justice S. Ravindra Bhat. The group brings together experts in psychiatry, education, law, and social justice, along with government officials. Their task is to understand why these deaths are happening and suggest reforms for colleges and universities across the country. As part of its work, the task force launched a nationwide survey, reaching out to students, faculty, parents, and administrators. The goal was to collect clear and detailed insight