Supreme Court Task Force Proposes Safeguards for Marginalised Students
The Supreme Court-appointed National Task Force (NTF) is developing specific safeguards for students from marginalised communities, including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and those with disabilities. The 18-member task force aims to submit its final report by October 31, following its interim report published in June 2026. The interim report highlighted significant gaps in mental health services, with 65% of 2,119 surveyed higher education institutions lacking access to mental health providers. The NTF emphasizes that institutions should be accountable for supporting students facing distress, not just in cases of suicide. Recent student deaths at IIT-Bombay and IIT-Delhi have intensified scrutiny on student well-being. The Union education ministry has reminded institutions to report all student suicides to the police, following a Supreme Court order in January 2026 related to caste-based discrimination cases.
Published 15 hours ago • 13 Oct 2026, 03:15 PM IST