National Task Force Launches Portal to Crowdsource Inputs on Student Mental Health in Higher Educational Institutions
New Delhi, August 9: The National Task Force on Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in Higher Educational Institutions has launched a dedicated website to seek inputs from stakeholders, the Ministry of Education said on Friday. Constituted by the Supreme Court and chaired by former justice Ravindra Bhat, the task force has a nationwide mandate covering all categories of higher education institutions.
The chairperson underscored that the panel is distinct from past committees because it brings central and state universities, private colleges, technical institutes and other HEIs within its purview. The task force includes experts in social sciences, disability rights, gender studies, clinical psychology and community medicine, among other fields, and is adopting a multi-pronged approach that relies on collaboration from students, faculty, administrators and civil society.
Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Vineet Joshi, said the task force is engaging a wide spectrum of institutions to ensure diverse campus realities inform its recommendations. He added that the department is supporting the exercise through coordination, data sharing, policy inputs and outreach, with a view to strengthening student well-being and mental-health frameworks in higher education.
The portal (ntf.education.gov.in) hosts anonymous, bilingual (English and Hindi) surveys for students, parents, faculty, mental-health service providers, heads of institutions and the general public, including friends or family of students affected by suicide, alumni, NGOs and media professionals. The questionnaires seek feedback on campus environment, inclusivity and belonging, sources of distress and systemic discrimination, existing support systems and grievance redressal, and suggestions for improvement. A separate institutional survey allows heads of HEIs to submit data on reported suicides, preventive mechanisms and student-support infrastructure. The site also provides an open space for citizens to share observations and recommendations.
Alongside the online consultation, the task force has begun on-ground visits to campuses to meet students, faculty, administrators and grievance committees; hold open forums; assess support services; and place special focus on the experiences of students from disadvantaged and marginalised communities. It is also consulting subject-matter experts and NGOs and reviewing data and research to inform evidence-based recommendations.
The task force urged all stakeholders and state nodal officers to participate in large numbers, noting that the diversity of lived experiences will be critical to shaping its final report. Friday’s event was attended by chairperson Ravindra Bhat; Vineet Joshi, member-secretary of the task force; Rina Sonowal Kouli, convenor; members of the task force; the secretary, Department of Legal Affairs (ex-officio); officials from NIC and the Ministry of Education; and media representatives.
