Supreme Court Takes Suo Motu Cognizance Of Student Suicides At IIT Kharagpur & Sharda University

The Supreme Court of India has taken suo motu cognisance of two recent student suicides, one at IIT Kharagpur and another at Sharda University in Greater Noida.

A bench comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan expressed serious concern over the increasing number of such cases and the gaps in the educational system contributing to them.

The court warned that failure to register First Information Reports (FIRs) in such cases could result in contempt proceedings. It sought reports from the West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh governments and scheduled the next hearing for July 28.

Supreme Court Questions Timely Police Notification

The bench asked both institutions whether they had promptly informed the police and immediately registered FIRs after the incidents. The court also appointed senior advocate Aparna Bhat as amicus curiae and directed her to present a detailed report.

Details of the Suicides

• IIT Kharagpur Case:
  Ritom Mandal, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student from Kolkata, enrolled in a five-year dual degree program, died by suicide on July 18. He had recently returned to campus after the summer break. This marks the fourth such incident at IIT Kharagpur this year. In January, the body of third-year electronics engineering student Shaon Mallick was found hanging on campus.
• Sharda University Case:
  Jyoti Sharma, a second-year BDS student, died by suicide at the university hostel in Greater Noida. In her suicide note, she held two faculty members—Sairy and Mahendra—responsible, accusing them of mental harassment and humiliation. Police have arrested both individuals and sent them to jail. Jyoti also named other faculty in the PCP and Dental Materials departments, requesting that they be held accountable if anything happened to her.

Supreme Court Cites Alarming Suicide Rates

The court reiterated its earlier concern over the rising rate of student suicides, stating that this rate now exceeds even that of farmers dealing with agrarian distress.

The bench emphasised that student safety and well-being are the responsibility of educational institutions, and administrators must report such incidents immediately.

In a previous order, the Supreme Court had directed the formation of a 10-member National Task Force headed by retired Justice Ravindra Bhat to address the issue.

The task force is expected to identify key causes behind student suicides, including:

• Ragging
• Caste-based and gender-based discrimination
• Sexual harassment
• Academic pressure
• Financial burdens
• Religious or cultural factors

The Supreme Court emphasised that registering an FIR is not only a legal obligation but also a moral necessity to ensure transparency, accountability, and justice.

The court stated that police officers must act promptly and responsibly without delay or denial.

The court’s intervention follows an appeal filed by the parents of the deceased students, challenging a Delhi High Court order that had refused to direct the registration of FIRs in the matter.

With the upcoming hearing on July 28, the Supreme Court has sent a strong message to educational institutions and law enforcement agencies about the importance of swift, transparent action in cases of student suicides.

The court has also reaffirmed its commitment to addressing the deeper systemic issues behind these tragedies.

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