Nearly one in 10 students in higher education institutions reported experiencing suicidal thoughts in the past year, while around 15 per cent said they had gone through a period of prolonged distress, low mood or anxiety in the previous six months, according to a nationwide survey conducted by a Supreme Court-appointed task force.
The findings, accessed by PTI, are part of an ongoing assessment by the National Task Force (NTF) constituted to examine mental health concerns among students and recommend measures to prevent suicides in higher educational institutions (HEIs). The task force is expected to submit its final report to the Supreme Court by October 31.
The survey, which received responses from more than 2.43 lakh students, found that about 34 per cent of respondents felt like an outsider on campus to varying degrees. Around 67 per cent of those who participated belonged to the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Class categories.
"About 15 per cent students recalled a period in the previous six months when they felt very overwhelmed or distressed, or experienced low moods or anxiety continuously for several weeks. Nine percent reported experiencing suicidal thoughts often or very often in the past year," the survey found.
The findings also pointed to concerns about institutional support. While 56 per cent of students said they trusted their administration to handle serious issues fairly, nearly 32 per cent said their institutions did not provide counselling services.
Academic pressures, uncertainty over employment and concerns about career choices emerged as common issues among students.
However, the task force has cautioned that the survey findings should be treated as preliminary as the current sample is not representative of the entire student population.
"Responses to many other items, including open-text fields, are still being analysed. Moreover, due to non-representativeness of the current sample, the observations need to be taken as preliminary and tentative," a senior official said.
