**Executive Summary**
This document reports on Unstarred Question No. 1512 in Lok Sabha, answered on February 9, 2026, regarding student suicides in the Wardha Parliamentary Constituency. It outlines the data collection process by the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), identifies common causes of suicide, and describes various government initiatives to address mental health and prevent suicides among students, teachers, and families. No specific deadlines or actions are outlined for immediate implementation in the document.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Data Collection and Reporting:**
* The NCRB collects suicide data from police-recorded cases and publishes comprehensive analyses in the Accidental Death & Suicide in India (ADSI) reports, accessible online.
* The reports include year-wise and state-wise details of student suicides.
* **Causes of Suicide:**
* Various factors contribute to suicides, including professional/career problems, isolation, abuse, violence, family problems, mental disorders, addiction, financial loss, and chronic pain.
* **Government Initiatives:**
* The Central Government addresses suicide with multi-pronged measures providing psychological support through the MANODARPAN initiative, which includes a national toll-free helpline, live interactive sessions ("Sahyog" and "Paricharcha"), and webinars.
* The Ministry of Education circulated a framework for emotional and mental well-being in Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) in July 2023, encouraging proactive measures.
* IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Gandhinagar, and IIT Roorkee have conducted workshops on Mental Wellness & Stress Management.
* The Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Programme promotes positive mental health, resilience, and wellbeing.
* The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MHFW) implements the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) with services at Community Health Centers (CHCs) and Primary Health Centers (PHCs).
* Over 1.81 lakh Sub Health Centres (SHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) have been upgraded to Ayushman Arogya Mandirs to provide mental health services.
* A National Tele Mental Health Programme, launched in 2022, has established 53 Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (MANAS) Cells. As of 02.02.2026, 36 States/ UTs have set up 53 Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (MANAS) Cells and handled over 32,83,000 calls.
* Tele MANAS Mobile Application has been developed to provide support for mental health issues.
* The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 decriminalizes suicide under Section 115.
* A National Task Force (NTF), constituted under the Chairmanship of Justice (Retd.) S. Ravindra Bhat, analyzes causes of suicides by students and recommends strengthening student protection measures.
**Impact Analysis**
**Students:**
* **Impact:** Students are directly impacted by the government's focus on suicide prevention and mental health support.
* **Action Required:** Students should be aware of and utilize the available resources such as the toll-free helpline, Tele MANAS services, and workshops provided by educational institutions.
**Teachers & Faculty:**
* **Impact:** Teachers and faculty are included in the support initiatives and empowered to address student mental health concerns through early intervention.
* **Action Required:** Faculty should engage with programs like the Malaviya Mission and utilize available resources to identify and support students struggling with mental health issues.
**Families:**
* **Impact:** Families benefit from the psychological support provided by government initiatives to improve mental and emotional well-being.
* **Action Required:** Families should be aware of the resources available, such as the toll-free helpline and educational programs, to support their children and seek help when needed.
**Higher Education Institutes (HEIs):**
* **Impact:** HEIs are encouraged to incorporate mental well-being measures into their institutional functioning.
* **Action Required:** HEIs need to proactively implement mental health support systems, conduct workshops, and promote a supportive environment for students.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Education: The ministry responsible for the MANODARPAN initiative and related policies addressing student suicides.
National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB): Collects and publishes data on suicides, including student suicides, in the annual Accidental Death & Suicide in India (ADSI) reports.
MANODARPAN: An initiative by the Ministry of Education to provide psychological support to students, teachers, and families for mental well-being.
The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017: Decriminalizes suicide under Section 115, recognizing it as a manifestation of severe stress.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare(MHFW): Implementing National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) to address the issue of mental health.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1512
ANSWERED ON 09/02/2026
Students Suicides in Wardha Parliamentary Constituency
†1512. Shri Amar Sharadrao Kale:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) the total number of cases of suicides committed by students in Wardha Lok Sabha
Parliamentary Constituency of Maharashtra during the last ten years and the current year,
year- wise and age-wise;
(b) the details of the main reasons identified for such suicides, including academic pressure,
mental health issues, financial distress or other factors; and
(c) whether the Government has formulated any time-bound scheme or national framework to
reduce cases of suicides of students and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons
therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(Dr. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)
(a) to (c): Education is subject of concurrent list and both Central and State government work
collaboratively to provide equitable access to education.
National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) collects data on suicides from police recorded suicide
cases. Comprehensive analysis of the data related to the accidental deaths and suicides in
the country is published in the yearly Accidental Death & Suicide in India (ADSI) reports by
National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB). Year wise and State wise details of student suicides
are available in the ADSI reports which are accessible at https://ncrb.gov.in/accidental-
deaths-suicides-in-india-year-wise.html.
As per these Reports, there are various causes of suicides like professional/career problems,
sense of isolation, abuse, violence, family problems, mental disorders, addiction to alcohol,
financial loss, chronic pain etc.
As far as the Central Government is concerned; to address the issue of suicide, it is taking
multi-pronged measures and provides psychological support to students, teachers and
families for mental and emotional well-being to avoid incidences of suicide.
An initiative of Ministry of Education, MANODARPAN, covers a wide range of activities to
provide psychological support to students, teachers and families for mental and emotional
well-being such as National toll-free helpline to provide guidance to callers through trained
counsellor; live interactive sessions ‘Sahyog’ and Webinars ‘Paricharcha’ that are organized
regularly to create awareness about the importance of mental health among all stakeholders,students in all States/UTs etc. These sessions are telecast on PM e-Vidya channels and are
also available on ‘NCERT Official’ YouTube Channel.
UGC has issued advisory to HEIs in January, 2023 circulating the National Suicide
Prevention Strategy framed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. UGC also issued
Guidelines for Promotion of Physical Fitness, Sports, Student’s Health, Welfare,
Psychological and Emotional Well- being at HEIs on 13.04.2023.
The Ministry of Education in July, 2023 has circulated a broad framework for emotional and
mental well-being of students in Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) with request to take
proactive measures to incorporate the same in the institutional functioning and instil a feeling
of confidence in the student community. Accordingly, IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT
Gandhinagar and IIT Roorkee have conducted workshops on Mental Wellness & Stress
Management.
Integrated approach for Promoting Positive Mental Health, Resilience, and Wellbeing under
the Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Programme was started. It comprises online and in-
person sessions, visits to institutions with innovative mental health practices, and an Annual
National Wellbeing Conclave. The goal is to empower faculty to address student mental
health concerns by early intervention.
To address the issue of mental health, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare(MHFW) is
implementing National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) in the country, which include
outpatient services, assessment, counselling/ psycho-social interventions, continuing care
and support to persons with severe mental disorders, drugs, outreach services, ambulance
services etc at Community Health Centre(CHC) and Primary Health Centre(PHC) levels. In
addition, the Government is also taking steps to strengthen mental healthcare services at
primary healthcare level. The Government has upgraded more than 1.81 lakh Sub Health
Centres (SHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Mental
health services have been added in the packages of services under Comprehensive Primary
Health Care provided at these Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.
A National Tele Mental Health Programme has been launched in 2022, to improve access to
quality mental health counselling and care services in the country. As on 02.02.2026, 36
States/ UTs have set up 53 Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States
(MANAS) Cells. More than 32,83,000 calls have been handled on the helpline number. The
Government has also launched Tele MANAS Mobile Application, which is a comprehensive
mobile platform that has been developed to provide support for mental health issues ranging
from wellbeing to mental disorders. In addition, a video consultation facility has been
introduced under Tele-MANAS, as an upgrade to the existing audio calling service.
The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 decriminalizes the suicide under Section 115, recognizing it
as a manifestation of severe stress further mandating the government’s responsibility to
provide care, treatment and rehabilitation to the person who attempts suicide.
In pursuance of Order dated 24.03.2025 of Hon’ble Supreme Court in Criminal Appeal No.
1425 of 2025 in the matter of Amit Kumar & Ors Vs. Union of India & Ors., a National Task
Force (NTF) has been constituted under the Chairmanship of Justice (Retd.) S. Ravindra
Bhat, Former Judge, SCI to identify predominant causes of suicides by students, analyze of
existing regulations and suggest recommendations for strengthening students’ protection.
***