UGC Proposes Mental Health Centres and Counsellor Ratios; SC Directs Suicide Reporting in HEIs

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has proposed draft guidelines mandating higher education institutions (HEIs) to establish dedicated mental health centres with specified counsellor-to-student ratios—one counsellor per 500 students in larger institutions and one per 100 in smaller ones. The guidelines include provisions for privacy, record-keeping, and regular awareness programmes on stress and anxiety. Concurrently, the Supreme Court has directed all HEIs to promptly report any student suicides or unnatural deaths to police and regulatory bodies, emphasizing institutional accountability and the provision of round-the-clock medical support on campuses.