About 15 per cent of students in higher education institutions (HEIs) experienced a period of feeling overwhelmed or distressed in the previous six months, while nine per cent reported experiencing suicidal thoughts, according to a nationwide survey conducted by a Supreme Court-appointed task force examining student suicides.

The findings, accessed by PTI, are expected to form part of the final report of the National Task Force (NTF) on mental health concerns and suicide prevention in HEIs, which is expected to be submitted by October 31.

The survey received responses from more than 2.43 lakh students, 67 per cent of whom belonged to the SC, ST and OBC categories. About 34 per cent said they felt like an outsider on campus to varying degrees.

Around 15 per cent recalled a period in the previous six months when they felt very overwhelmed or distressed, or experienced low moods or anxiety continuously for several weeks. Nine per cent reported experiencing suicidal thoughts often or very often in the past year.

The survey found that 56 per cent of students trusted their administration to handle serious issues fairly, while around 32 per cent said their institute did not offer counselling services. Concerns over academic choices and employment were also commonly reported.

A senior official said the findings were preliminary as the sample was not representative and responses to several questions were still being analysed. Emerging patterns, the official said, indicated the need for standardised student support systems, faculty training, stigma reduction, crisis protocols, regular monitoring and responsive administration.

The NTF also conducted 30 meetings at 19 institutions across Delhi and the National Capital Region, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Assam and West Bengal. The visits covered different types of institutions and disciplines but were not representative due to the small sample.

Students reported concerns including strict attendance policies, demanding academic schedules, academic and clinical overload, extended on-call hours for medical students, competition linked to relative grading and stringent placement criteria.

Other concerns included inadequate academic support due to faculty shortages in state universities, insufficient practical training in dental, nursing and mental health institutions, and PhD supervisors being neglectful, over-controlling or exploitative.

The NTF was constituted by the Supreme Court in March 2025 to examine the rising incidence of student suicides and mental health and well-being concerns among students in HEIs across the country. It is headed by Justice S Ravindra Bhat and includes psychiatrist Alok Sarin, Mary E John, former director of the Centre for Women’s Development Studies, Arman Ali, Executive Director of the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People, Rajendar Kachroo, founder of the Aman Satya Kachroo Trust, and Seema Mehrotra, Professor of Clinical Psychology at NIMHANS.

Inputs from PTI

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