[Comment] Strengthening student mental health support systems in India: reflections on the Supreme Court's landmark guidelines

On July 25, 2025, the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India issued fifteen binding guidelines to prevent student suicides, in a landmark judgment delivered by Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta in Sukdeb Saha v. State of Andhra Pradesh & Ors.1 These guidelines mark a significant step toward strengthening mental health support systems across educational institutions and coaching centres. These are broad in scope and encompass elements such as accessible mental health policies, counselling services, training of teaching and non-teaching staff, establishment of referral protocols, redressal pathways, and other protective measures.