Education Policy: Why are students committing suicide? What are the SC's directives on UMMEED and other issues?
NEP Guidelines: In the past four to five days, reports of schoolchildren committing suicide have been coming in from various parts of the country. In Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, a 17-year-old Class 11 girl hanged herself at home. In her suicide note, she accused her teacher of inappropriately holding her hand and torturing her. In Delhi, a 16-year-old Class 10 boy jumped in front of a metro station. His suicide note accused school teachers of mental harassment.
Meanwhile, in Jaipur, a 9-year-old Class 4 girl committed suicide by jumping from the fourth floor of her school in early November. The investigation revealed that she had been facing bullying for 18 months and had sought help from her teacher five times, but no response was received. A 19-year-old college student near Kalyan, Maharashtra, committed suicide after being assaulted on a local train for speaking Hindi. These incidents highlight how dangerous bullying, teacher abuse, and mental pressure have become in schools. But did you know that the Ministry of Education and the National Educational Research and Training (NEP) 2020 have established several guidelines to protect students' mental health?
The NEP 2020 prioritizes children's mental health.
The National Education Policy 2020 states that education should not be a race for marks, but rather a holistic development of the child. Key points to prevent suicide include making counseling systems mandatory in every school and college; promoting sports, arts, yoga, music, and community activities so that children are not confined to books; running happiness and wellness programs; reducing stress through peer support and studying in local languages. All of these are part of holistic development, which strengthens children's mental health.
UMMEED Guidelines: A Complete Plan for Schools
The Ministry of Education released the UMMEED draft guidelines in 2023, which stands for Understand, Motivate, Manage, Empathise, Empower, and Develop. This policy states that Every Child Matters. Its comprehensive plan is like a flowchart. First, all stakeholders—teachers, parents, and students—should work together. Every school should establish a school wellness team to identify at-risk children. Create a positive environment and provide yoga, sports, and counseling. Train teachers and parents on how to recognize warning signs—mood swings, isolation, etc.—and how to provide immediate support if a child is at risk. How to provide emergency response if there is an attempt at self-harm. Review every year to see if there has been any improvement. Pay attention to warning signs such as sudden changes in behavior, decreased sleep and appetite, and dispel myths about suicide.
A Program That Provides Round-the-Clock Support
It's worth noting that the Manodarpan program, launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent school children from committing suicide, is still ongoing. Trained counselors are available 24 hours a day on the toll-free number 8448440632. Live sessions, yoga, and life skills training are all free. Millions of children have benefited from this program.
What are the Supreme Court's guidelines?
Recently, the Supreme Court issued 15 nationwide guidelines on the rising incidence of student suicides, which will remain in effect until a new law is enacted. These guidelines apply to all schools, colleges, coaching institutes, and hostels. The key point is that every institution must develop a uniform mental health policy inspired by UMMEED, Manodarpan, and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. This policy must be reviewed annually and posted on the website. Schools with more than 100 students must have at least one qualified counselor.
Small schools should have a referral system. Maintain a healthy student-counselor ratio. Provide personal mentors during exam time. Don't divide students based on batch rank, or publicly shame them, or assign excessive targets. Write helpline numbers in large letters everywhere. Install tamper-proof fans in hostels. Lock rooftops and balconies. Coaching hubs like Kota, Jaipur, and Delhi require extra protection. Training teachers twice a year is mandatory. Zero tolerance for ragging and harassment, and a confidential complaint system must be established. Submit an anonymous report every year. Conduct career counseling with parents. All these guidelines are good, but strict enforcement is essential. If your child's school isn't following these guidelines, demand it. If someone is under stress, immediately speak to the Manodarpan helpline or a counselor. Life is precious; one step can save everything.
Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from News 18 hindi. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.
