Parliament Question: Suicides in IITs

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3510 ANSWERED ON 10/08/2026 Suicides in IITs 3510. Shri Selvaganapathi T.M.: Shri S Venkatesan: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) the details of the numbers of suicides by students, research scholars and staff across various Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) that have been reported during the last six years, year-wise and institute-wise; (b) the details of age, gender, caste, religion, State, date of suicide, place of occurrence, status of inquiry etc. of those who have committed suicide during the said period, institution-wise; (c) the steps taken by the Government to mitigate the factors contributing to student suicides; and (d) whether it is a fact that there is an urgent need for institutions to strengthen preventive mechanisms, if so, the steps taken by the Government in this regard? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR) (a) to (d): 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 To address the issue of suicide, the Government 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.UGC has 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 on 10.07.2023 has also 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 instill a feeling of confidence in the student community. These guidelines lay emphasis inter alia on sports, yoga, meditation etc. to address the wellbeing and mental health concerns. An Integrated approach for Promoting Positive Mental Health, Resilience, and Wellbeing has been conceptualized under the Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Programme. Under this integrated approach, two fortnightly sessions are being held with faculty of higher education institutions to empower them to address student mental health concerns for early intervention. Annual National Wellbeing Conclaves were organised at IIT Hyderabad in November, 2024 and at IIT Bombay in November, 2025. A Regional Workshop on Mental Health was organized on 12-13 July 2026 at IIT Madras, which brought together institutional leaders, faculty, students, and mental health professionals to share best practices and strengthen campus wellbeing ecosystems. At the institutional level, several HEIs are operationalising the framework through proactive, multi-layered models. For instance, IIT Kharagpur has implemented a comprehensive SETU (Support, Empathy, Transformation & Upliftment) framework, moving from reactive care to preventive, round-the-clock support. Adhering to the Ministry's guidelines, IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Gandhinagar and IIT Roorkee have conducted workshops on Mental Wellness & Stress Management. IITs have put in place mental health Counselling Centres /Wellness Centres within their campuses, staffed with full-time or visiting professional counsellors, clinical psychologists, and in some cases, psychiatrists. The institutes often host mental health training sessions to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and educate students about mental health issues. *********