Supreme Court orders police probe into suicide of two IIT-Delhi students in 2023

The Supreme Court on Friday ordered a police investigation into the 2023 deaths by suicide of two IIT-Delhi students belonging to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities, asserting that law enforcement authorities cannot bypass due process “just because something happened in the hostel of an eminent educational institution like IIT-Delhi”.

A bench of justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan also constituted a 10-member task force, to be chaired by former top court judge S Ravindra Bhat, to examine the issue of deaths by suicide of students across educational institutions and recommend policy measures. The task force will be chaired by former top court judge Justice S Ravindra Bhat

The petition in the matter was filed jointly by the parents of the two IIT students who claimed the deaths were not suicides but murders, alleging a conspiracy by IIT faculty to cover up caste-based harassment. In January 2024, the Delhi high court declined to order an FIR, citing a status report by the Delhi government, which found no evidence of caste-based discrimination.

Setting aside the Delhi high court order, the Supreme Court criticised the Delhi police for prematurely concluding that the students were suffering from depression due to academic pressure. It noted: “Even if the Police was of the view that there was no element of truth in what had been alleged by the appellants, it could have said so only after registering an FIR and conducting an investigation pursuant thereto. We say so because this is the law.”

In recent years, there have been several instances of students from the SC and the ST community dying by suicide at higher educational institutions such as the IITs. The institutions have been found wanting in terms of providing the right coaching to help some of these students bridge gaps with other students -- a function of their background and level of exposure, not abilities. In some cases, SC/ST students have been targetted and bullied by other students.

In the two cases in question, the court found that the police hastily dismissed the allegations without conducting a full-fledged investigation, which it said was impermissible. “The Police could not have taken a shortcut just because something happened in the hostel of an eminent educational institution like IIT Delhi. It seems that the Police very quickly jumped to the conclusion that the two boys were in some sort of depression as they were not doing well in their studies,” it added.

Accordingly, the court directed the deputy commissioner of police (south-west district, New Delhi) to register a FIR based on complaints lodged by the families of the deceased students and depute an officer, not below the rank of assistant commissioner of police, to investigate the matter in accordance with the law.

Highlighting the duty of educational institutions, the court underscored that ensuring student safety is a fundamental responsibility of university administrations. “Responsibility of maintaining the safety and well-being of students rests heavily on the administration of every educational institution. Therefore, in the event of any unfortunate incident, such as a suicide occurring on campus, it becomes their unequivocal duty to promptly lodge an FIR with the appropriate authorities. Such action is not only a legal obligation but also a moral imperative to ensure transparency, accountability, and the pursuit of justice,” it held.

The court further warned that failure on the part of educational institutions to fulfill these responsibilities would be viewed strictly, and it underscored the need for proactive intervention in student mental health.

National task force on campus suicides

Beyond the specific case, the Supreme Court took cognisance of the broader issue of student suicides in premier institutions, citing alarming statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). According to the court, over 13,000 students died by suicide in 2021, a figure that has doubled over the past decade. The judgment highlighted that student suicides now surpass those committed by farmers due to agrarian distress, with a 4% increase recorded in 2024 alone.

Referring to a slew of suicides reported from the campuses of different parts of the county, the court pointed to systemic issues, including academic pressure, caste-based discrimination, financial stress, and sexual harassment, as major contributors to student distress. It also referred to data revealing that 60% of drop-outs from seven IITs belong to reserved categories, underscoring the role of discrimination in aggravating student alienation.

Acknowledging the severity of the crisis, the Supreme Court constituted a task force to address mental health concerns among students and prevent suicides. The task force, chaired by former Supreme Court judge Bhat, includes experts from psychiatry, psychology, education, and human rights while senior advocate Aparna Bhat has been included as an amicus curiae in the panel to assist the bench. It will also have representatives from the ministries of Education, Social Welfare, Women and Child Development, and Law and Justice, while all states and Union territories have been mandated to assist the task force.

The task force has been tasked with identifying causes and analysing the factors leading to student suicides, including ragging, discrimination, academic stress, financial difficulties and mental health stigma. The panel must also assess existing policies and evaluate the effectiveness of current laws and institutional frameworks in addressing student well-being. It would eventually recommend reforms and propose legal and policy changes to enhance institutional accountability and support systems for students. The court has also empowered the task force to conduct inspections of educational institutions to assess their mental health support mechanisms. The task force’s interim report is due within four months. The court also clarified that a separate case on suicides among SC students, pending before another bench, will continue independently.

In its judgment, the bench added: “When academic environments fail to address discrimination, harassment, and mental health concerns effectively, they contribute to a culture of neglect that can have devastating consequences. As a society, and as stakeholders in shaping the future of our youth, we must take collective responsibility to ensure that no more lives are lost due to apathy or indifference.”