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Synopsis

The Bombay High Court has sought a reply from Mumbai University, the State Government, and the University Grants Commission (UGC) in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed seeking directions to appoint counsellors in Mumbai colleges to curb student suicides.

The division bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice Devendra Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar was hearing a PIL filed by activist Shobha Panchmukh, seeking the appointment of counsellors in colleges.

The bench suggested the petitioner not limit the petition to colleges affiliated with Mumbai University only, as other autonomous colleges affiliated with the UGC but not with Mumbai University would also be affected. Therefore, the bench directed the petitioner to implead the UGC as a party respondent.

The bench in its order referred to the Maharashtra Public University Act 2016 and noted that “..it casts a duty on the university to make arrangements for promoting healthy atmosphere and ensure the welfare of students in college, school, and institutions. Thus, the university in our opinion, is duty bound to take measures to create an atmosphere in university and colleges where incidents of suicide do not take place,” the order reads.

Advocate Shyam Panchmukh, appearing for the petitioner, also referred to the data submitted to Parliament, which stated that based on the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, the number of student suicides has been on the rise since 2019. According to the data, nearly 1,487 students died by suicide in Maharashtra in 2019, followed by 1,648 in 2020, and 1,834 in 2021.

The bench noted the same and said, “Such a situation is not only alarming and calls for immediate measure from all concerned,” the court said.

Therefore, the bench directed the respondents to file their affidavits within 3 weeks and allowed one week to the petitioner to file its rejoinder.