Supreme Court – Daily Orders
Sukdeb Saha vs The State Of Andhra Pradesh on 25 July, 2025
ITEM NO.1502 COURT NO.3 SECTION II
S U P R E M E C O U R T O F I N D I A
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Petition(s) for Special Leave to Appeal (Crl.) No(s). 6378/2024
[Arising out of impugned final judgment and order dated 14-02-2024
in WP No. 25381/2023 passed by the High Court of Andhra Pradesh at
Amravati]
SUKDEB SAHA Petitioner(s)
VERSUS
THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH & ORS. Respondent(s)
(IA No. 108392/2024 – INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT AND IA No.
113429/2024 – PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/
ANNEXURES)
Date : 25-07-2025 This matter was called on for
pronouncement of judgment today.
For Petitioner(s) :Mr. Joydeb B. Saha, Adv.
Mr. S Ramamoorthy, Adv.
Mr. S Senthil Elangovan, Adv.
M/s V. Maheshwari & Co., AOR
For Respondent(s) :Mr. Rajkumar Bhaskar Thakare, A.S.G.
Mr. Mukesh Kumar Maroria, AOR
Mr. Vivek Gupta, Adv.
Mr. Rohit Khare, Adv.
Mr. Padmesh Mishra, Adv.
Mr. Merusagar Samantaray, Adv.
Mr. Tanmay Mehta, Adv.
Ms. Prerna Singh, Adv.
Mr. Guntur Pramod Kumar, AOR
Mr. Dhruv Yadav, Adv.
Mr. P. Santhosh Kumar, Adv.
Mr. P. Venkatraju, Adv.
Mr. Sravan Kumar Karanam, AOR
Mr. Y. Raja Gopala Rao, AOR
Mr. B. Mohan, Adv.
Signature Not Verified
Mr. Akshay Singh, Adv.
Digitally signed by
NEETU KHAJURIA
Date: 2025.07.25
Ms. Sanjana Jain, Adv.
17:25:52 IST
Reason:
Ms. Manasi Chatpalliwar, Adv.
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Mr. Pranav Proothi, Adv.
Mr. Pulkit Agarwal, AOR
Mr. Sudhanshu Kaushesh, Adv.
Mr. M Srinivas R Rao, Adv.
Mr. Abid Ali Beeran P, AOR
Mr. Sarath S Janardanan, Adv.
Mr. Saswat Adhyapak, Adv.
Ms. Namita Kumari, Adv.
Mr. Anand Varma, AOR
Ms. Apoorva Pandey, Adv.
Mr. Kunal Mimani, AOR
Mr. Abhinav Rana, Adv.
Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sandeep Mehta pronounced the
judgment of the Bench comprising Hon’ble Mr. Justice Vikram
Nath and His Lordship.
Leave granted.
The appeal is disposed of in terms of the signed
reportable judgment. The conclusion, guidelines and
directions contained in the judgment are reproduced
hereunder:
“(v). Conclusion: –
24. In view of the above discussion, the Impugned Order
dated 14th February, 2024, passed by the High Court of
Andhra Pradesh in Writ Petition No. 25381 of 2023,
rejecting the appellant’s prayer for transfer of
investigation to the CBI, is hereby quashed and set
aside.
25. We direct that the investigation into the unnatural
death of Ms. X shall be transferred to the CBI
forthwith. The Investigating Officer and concerned
authorities of the IV Town Police Station,
Visakhapatnam, shall hand over the entire case records,
including all relevant papers, documents, CCTV footage,
forensic reports, and any material evidence, to the2
office of Director, CBI without undue delay. The
Director, CBI, shall ensure the immediate registration
of an RC and assign the investigation of the same to a
team of competent officials under the supervision of the
jurisdictional Superintendent, CBI.
26. We clarify that the observations made above are
not intended to touch the merits of the case at hand,
and they shall have no bearing on the investigation
conducted by the CBI or the trial, as the case may be.
None of the above observations shall prejudice the
defence of the person/s, who may be arrayed as an
accused in this case. The concerned officials of CBI
shall conduct an extensive and comprehensive
investigation into the matter and, upon conclusion,
submit a report under Section 193(2) of the Bharatiya
Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 20231, before the competent
Court having jurisdiction, within four months from the
date of receiving the record.
(iii) Guidelines: –
35. Keeping in view of the above, and in exercise of the
powers conferred upon this Court under Article 32 of the
Constitution of India for the enforcement of fundamental
rights, and treating this pronouncement as law declared
by this Court under Article 141, we hereby issue the
following guidelines, which shall remain in force and be
binding until such time as appropriate legislation or
regulatory frameworks are enacted by the competent
authority. The Guidelines are prescribed as under:
I. All educational institutions shall adopt and
implement a uniform mental health policy, drawing
cues from the UMMEED Draft Guidelines, the MANODARPAN
initiative, and the National Suicide Prevention
Strategy. This policy shall be reviewed and updated
annually and made publicly accessible on
institutional websites and notice boards of the
institutes.
II. All educational institutions with 100 or more
enrolled students shall appoint/engage at least one
qualified counsellor, psychologist, or social worker
with demonstrable training in child and adolescent
1 Formerly, Section 173(2) of the CrPC.
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mental health. Institutions with fewer students shall
establish formal referral linkages with external
mental health professionals.
III. All educational institutions shall ensure optimal
student-to-counsellor ratios. Dedicated mentors or
counsellors shall be assigned to smaller batches of
students, especially during examination periods and
academic transitions, to provide consistent,
informal, and confidential support.
IV. All educational institutions, more particularly the
coaching institutes/centres, shall, as far as
possible, refrain from engaging in batch segregation
based on academic performance, public shaming, or
assignment of academic targets disproportionate to
students’ capacities.
V. All educational institutions shall establish written
protocols for immediate referral to mental health
services, local hospitals, and suicide prevention
helplines. Suicide helpline numbers, including Tele-
MANAS and other national services, shall be
prominently displayed in hostels, classrooms, common
areas, and on websites in large and legible print.
VI. All teaching and non-teaching staff shall undergo
mandatory training at least twice a year, conducted
by certified mental health professionals, on
psychological first-aid, identification of warning
signs, response to self-harm, and referral
mechanisms.
VII. All educational institutions shall ensure that all
teaching, non-teaching, and administrative staff are
adequately trained to engage with students from
vulnerable and marginalised backgrounds in a
sensitive, inclusive, and non-discriminatory manner.
This shall include, but not be limited to, students
belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes
(ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), Economically
Weaker Sections (EWS), LGBTQ+ communities, students
with disabilities, those in out-of-home care, and
students affected by bereavement, trauma, or prior
suicide attempts, or intersecting form of
marginalisation.
VIII. All educational institutions shall establish robust,
confidential, and accessible mechanisms for the
reporting, redressal, and prevention of incidents
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involving sexual assault, harassment, ragging, and
bullying on the basis of caste, class, gender, sexual
orientation, disability, religion, or ethnicity.
Every such institution shall constitute an internal
committee or designated authority empowered to take
immediate action on complaints and provide psycho-
social support to victims. Institutions shall also
maintain zero tolerance for retaliatory actions
against complainants or whistle-blowers. In all such
cases, immediate referral to trained mental health
professionals must be ensured, and the student’s
safety, physical and psychological, shall be
prioritised. Failure to take timely or adequate
action in such cases, especially where such neglect
contributes to a student’s self-harm or suicide,
shall be treated as institutional culpability, making
the administration liable to regulatory and legal
consequences.
IX. All educational Institutions shall regularly organise
sensitisation programmes (physical and/or online) for
parents and guardians on student mental health. It
shall be the duty of the institution to sensitise the
parents and guardians to avoid placing undue academic
pressure, to recognise signs of psychological
distress, and to respond empathetically and
supportively. Further, mental health literacy,
emotional regulation, life skills education, and
awareness of institutional support services shall be
integrated into student orientation programmes and
co-curricular activities.
X. All educational institutions shall maintain
anonymised records and prepare an annual report
indicating the number of wellness interventions,
student referrals, training sessions, and mental
health-related activities. This report shall be
submitted to the relevant regulatory authority, which
may be the State Education Department, University
Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for
Technical Education (AICTE), Central Board of
Secondary Education (CBSE), or as otherwise
indicated.
XI. All educational institutions shall prioritise
extracurricular activities, including sports, arts,
and personality development initiatives. Examination
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patterns shall be periodically reviewed to reduce
academic burden and to cultivate a broader sense of
identity among students beyond test scores and ranks.
XII. All educational institutions, including coaching
centres and training institutes, shall provide
regular, structured career counselling services for
students and their parents or guardians. These
sessions shall be conducted by qualified counsellors
and shall aim to reduce unrealistic academic
pressure, promote awareness of diverse academic and
professional pathways, and assist students in making
informed and interest-based career decisions.
Institutions shall ensure that such counselling is
inclusive, sensitive to socio-economic and
psychological contexts, and does not reinforce narrow
definitions of merit or success.
XIII. All residential-based educational institutions,
including hostel owners, wardens and caretakers,
shall take proactive steps to ensure that campuses
remain free from harassment, bullying, drugs, and
other harmful substances, thereby ensuring a safe and
healthy living and learning environment for all
students.
XIV. All residential-based institutions shall install
tamper-proof ceiling fans or equivalent safety
devices, and shall restrict access to rooftops,
balconies, and other high-risk areas, in order to
deter impulsive acts of self-harm.
XV. All coaching hubs, including but not limited to
Jaipur, Kota, Sikar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi,
Mumbai, and other cities where students migrate in
large numbers for competitive examination
preparation, shall implement heightened mental health
protections and preventive measures. These regions,
having witnessed disproportionately high incidents of
student suicides, require special attention. The
concerned authorities, namely, the Department of
Education, District Administration, and management of
educational institutions, shall ensure the provision
of regular career counselling for students and
parents, regulation of academic pressure through
structured academic planning, availability of
continuous psychological support, and the
establishment of institutional mechanisms for
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monitoring and accountability to safeguard student
mental well-being.
36. The above guidelines shall apply to all educational
institutions across India, including public and private
schools, colleges, universities, training centres,
coaching institutes, residential academies, and hostels,
irrespective of their affiliation. We may clarify that
these guidelines are not in supersession but in parallel
to the ongoing work of the National Task Force on Mental
Health Concerns of Students and are being issued to
provide an interim protective architecture in the
interregnum. We believe that these guidelines shall be
read as complementary to the ongoing work of the National
Task Force and would inform and assist the National Task
Force in the development of a more comprehensive and
inclusive framework.
(iv) Directions:-
37. All States and Union Territories shall, as far as
practicable, notify rules within two months from the date
of this judgment mandating registration, student
protection norms, and grievance redressal mechanisms for
all private coaching centres. These rules shall require
compliance with the mental health safeguards prescribed
herein.
38. A district-level monitoring committee shall be
constituted in each district under the chairpersonship of
the District Magistrate or Collector. The committee may
include representatives from the departments of
education, health, and Child protection, civil society
and shall oversee implementation, conduct inspections,
and receive complaints.
39. Having regard to the serious and continuing nature of
the concerns addressed herein, we direct the Union of
India to file a compliance affidavit before this Court
within a period of 90 days from the date of this
judgment. The affidavit shall detail the steps taken to
implement these guidelines, the coordination mechanisms
established with State Governments, the status of
regulatory rulemaking with respect to coaching centres,
and the monitoring systems put in place. The affidavit
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shall also indicate the expected timeline for the
completion of the report and recommendations of the
National Task Force on Mental Health Concerns of
Students.
40. Let a copy of this judgment be circulated to the
Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare, Ministry of Law and Justice, University Grants
Commission, National Council of Educational Research and
Training, Central Board of Secondary Education, All India
Council for Technical Education, and the Chief
Secretaries of all States and Union Territories for
immediate compliance and necessary action.
41. The present appeal is disposed of, accordingly.
42. In view of the disposal of the above appeal, no
further orders are required to be passed on the
application(s) seeking impleadment as well as application
(I.A. No. 63866/2025) seeking direction to produce
chemical/medical reports, hence, the same stands disposed
of as infructuous.
43. Pending application(s), if any, shall also stand
disposed of accordingly.
44. List again on 27th October, 2025, for receiving
the compliance report.”
(NEETU KHAJURIA) (RANJANA SHAILEY)
ASST.REGISTRAR-CUM-PS ASSISTANT REGISTRAR
(Signed reportable judgment is placed on the file.)
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