New Delhi- During Dalit History Month, the issue of caste-based discrimination in educational institutions and its alleged link to rising student suicides has once again come under sharp focus. In the Lok Sabha, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi raised pointed questions on the surge in student suicides and the role of caste discrimination, but the Central Government provided a vague and evasive response, refusing to acknowledge caste as a factor.

In the written reply to Unstarred Question No. 4963, Minister of State for Education Dr. Sukanta Majumdar sidestepped direct queries on caste-based harassment complaints and institutional accountability, while listing general causes of suicide without any mention of caste discrimination.

According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, student suicides in India have increased by approximately 65% over the decade. Rahul Gandhi highlighted this alarming trend and specifically inquired whether the government was aware of the rise and its underlying causes. He demanded year-wise, state-wise, and social category-wise details of student suicides in government, government-aided, and private educational institutions over the past ten years.

Crucially, the Congress leader asked if the government had conducted any study to identify major causes of student suicides, including the relationship between caste-based discrimination and suicides. He also sought data on caste-based discrimination complaints in educational institutions over the last decade state-wise numbers of complaints received and disposed of and inquired whether the government planned to strengthen existing laws or enact new legislation to fix institutional accountability for suicides linked to caste discrimination. References were made to cases like that of Rohith Vemula, underscoring the experiences of Dalit and marginalized students.

Instead of providing the requested breakup of suicides by social category or specific data on caste discrimination complaints, the government focused on its mental health initiatives. It highlighted the Ministry of Education’s Manodarpan initiative, which offers psychological support through a national toll-free helpline, live interactive sessions ‘Sahayog’, and webinars. The University Grants Commission (UGC) circulated the National Suicide Prevention Strategy and issued guidelines in 2023 to promote physical fitness, sports, and emotional well-being in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs). A comprehensive framework for emotional and mental well-being of students was issued in July 2023.

Other measures mentioned include workshops on mental health conducted by IITs (Madras, Delhi, Guwahati, Gandhinagar, and Roorkee), the Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Programme for promoting positive mental health, the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP), and the Tele MANAS tele-mental health programme. As of March 18, 2026, 53 Tele MANAS cells across 36 States/UTs had handled over 34,91,000 calls. The government also referred to the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, which decriminalizes suicide attempts, and the National Task Force (NTF) constituted under the chairmanship of retired Supreme Court Justice S. Ravindra Bhat following a 2025 court order to study student suicides and suggest measures.

Critics, including opposition parties, argue that the government has evaded uncomfortable questions. By not acknowledging caste as a potential factor and failing to share data on caste-based complaints or social category-wise suicide statistics, the response appears to downplay systemic discrimination faced by Dalit, Adivasi, and other marginalized students in premier institutions. Rahul Gandhi had specifically referenced the link between caste discrimination and suicides, but the government chose to focus solely on general mental health programmes without addressing institutional accountability or the demand for stronger laws.

As Dalit History Month highlights the historical and ongoing struggles against caste oppression, this parliamentary exchange has reignited debate on whether educational institutions are truly safe and inclusive spaces. Activists and student organizations maintain that caste-based harassment, exclusion, and bias continue to push vulnerable students to the brink, a reality that official responses often gloss over by attributing suicides only to “career pressure” or “family problems.”