A Supreme Court-appointed National Task Force has found that about nine per cent of students surveyed experienced suicidal thoughts, while 15 per cent faced severe psychological distress, a report has revealed.

The survey, one of the largest of its kind, covered students across institutions and age groups, looking at academic pressure, family expectations, social isolation and access to counselling.

The task force was set up by the Supreme Court to study student suicides and recommend steps to prevent them. Its findings paint a worrying picture of the mental health crisis facing young Indians.

Experts quoted in the report said stigma, lack of trained counsellors in colleges, and the fear of being labelled kept many students from seeking help.

The task force has recommended mandatory counselling cells in educational institutions, training for teachers to spot warning signs, and strict limits on coaching-related pressure for school-going children. Mental health professionals have long argued that suicide prevention needs a systemic response rather than sympathy alone. The survey data is expected to shape the court’s further directions on the issue.