NMC asks medical colleges to join student suicide surveys on national task force website

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has notified about the launch of the website for the National Task Force, constituted by the Supreme Court to discuss the mental health concerns amongst students and for prevention of student suicides in educational institutions. The commission has asked all the medical colleges to visit the website and participate in the survey.

Launched in August, the website – ntf.education.gov.in – serves as a central platform to gather different perspectives from college students, parents, faculty members, mental health service providers, and institutions. It also seeks inputs from general public including friends or family members of students affected by suicide, alumni, Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), media professionals, and other concerned citizens.

The NTF portal hosts structured online questionnaires, available in English and Hindi, to collect inputs, keeping the anonymity and confidentiality of the respondents intact, on a wide range of themes including campus environment, inclusivity and belongingness; sources of distress and systemic discrimination, existing support systems and grievance redressal mechanisms, and suggestions for improving student wellbeing.

The government is also conducting institutional mental health surveys to gather information from the higher education institutions. Besides participation in the survey, NMC has also asked medical institutes to provide the website link survey details to students and faculty members, encouraging timely participation.

SC seeks report on guidelines

The top court recently asked states and union territories to report the progress in the implementation of the guidelines to deal with mental health issues and suicides amongst students in HEIs.

SC was highly disappointed to learn that around 57,000 institutions are yet to undertake the survey on student suicides. Giving a last opportunity to the colleges and universities to participate in the study, the apex court warned of passing “bad” orders.

In its July judgement, the court gave two months to the union government to file the affidavit about the steps taken for the implementation of the guidelines.

The task force, containing 10 members, has been asked to determine the root causes of student suicide deaths. A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan formed the task force in March this year after the increase in the number of student suicides.

If you know someone – friend or family member – at risk of suicide, please reach out to them. Those in distress or having suicidal thoughts or tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling 9820466726 or visiting AASRA’s official website or can call iCALL on 9152987821. Here are some more helpline numbers of suicide prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.