Caste discrimination, ragging, and harassment; student suicides must end; Supreme Court with task force

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has constituted a 10-member National Task Force to address the issues that are pushing students to suicide in higher educational institutions. The court also cited the controversial death of Siddharth at Wayanad Pookode Veterinary College in Kerala.

The court said that suicides are increasing due to reasons such as caste discrimination, ragging, sexual harassment, and study load. Retired Supreme Court Judge S Ravindra Bhat is the chairman of the task force. A bench comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan clarified that a strong and comprehensive system is needed.

The intervention is being considered while considering the petitions regarding the suicides of Ayush Ashna and Anil Kumar, who belong to the Scheduled Caste community, following caste discrimination at IIT Delhi. The Delhi Police has been directed to register a case and investigate both incidents. FIRs should be lodged immediately in such cases.

The deaths of Dalit research student Rohith Vemula at Hyderabad Central University and Payal Tadvi, a Scheduled Tribe student at Mumbai's TN Topiwala National Medical College, were discussed nationwide.

Task force’s mandate

1. Identify the reasons leading to suicide one by one
2. Examine the effectiveness of the system for handling problems
3. Recommend a system that ensures equal opportunities for all students.

Interim report within 4 months

• The Centre should deposit Rs 20 lakh with the Supreme Court within two weeks to start the operation of the task force. The interim report should be submitted within four months and the final report within eight months
• Justice S. Ravindra Bhat is the chairperson of the committee. It has 9 members including mental health expert Dr Alok Sarin and former director of the Centre for Women’s Development Studies Prof Mary E John
• The Chief Secretary should appoint an officer at the level of Joint Secretary of Higher Education as the nodal officer in the states. The convener is the Joint Secretary, Central Higher Education
• Ex-officio members: Central Higher Education Secretary, Social Justice Secretary, Women and Child Development Secretary, Legal Affairs Secretary