CJ Desk

Actress and mental health advocate Deepika Padukone has amplified the need for student mental well-being by sharing key Supreme Court guidelines through her Instagram Stories. Referring to the development as a “landmark step for Student Mental Health,” Padukone reposted an update from The Live Love Laugh Foundation (TLLLF), which she founded.

The post featured a simplified version of the Supreme Court’s recent directives addressing student mental health, announced on July 26. In a major ruling, the apex court declared mental health to be a core component of the right to life and dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The judgment, delivered by Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, issued 15 key guidelines aimed at creating a more supportive environment for students across the country. The move follows a case involving the suicide of a 17-year-old NEET aspirant in Vishakhapatnam last year. The girl’s father had appealed for a CBI probe after the Andhra Pradesh High Court dismissed his request.

The Supreme Court has now approved the investigation. Among the court’s guidelines is the requirement for all educational institutions to draft a mental health policy based on the Ummeed Draft, the Manodarpan scheme, and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. These policies must be reviewed annually and displayed on official websites and notice boards. Institutions with over 100 students must appoint at least one trained counsellor, psychologist, or social worker.