THIRD CASE OF SUICIDE IN NLU DELHI WITHIN 3 MONTHS, INCLUSIVENESS CALLED FOR BY THE STUDENT BODY

Category: Legal News
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BACKGROUND

Recently, in the prestigious institution of the National Law University, Delhi, a tragedy had struct the institution wherein, a third case of suicide was registered within the last three months. Though this student’s identity is yet to be officially released, this incident has followed the recent suicides of a first-year student, named Shah Khushil Vishal and a third-year student named, Amrutavarshiny Senthil Kumar. Such incidents have shook the entire legal and academic community, raising concerns on student well-being, their inclusiveness, and the pressures faced by law students in the competitive environments. 

KEY ASPECTS 

Herein, recently, the Student Bar Council of the National Law University, Delhi, has released a statement in order to address the incident of suicide of one of the students in its university. Notably, such incident has been said to occur for the third time in the past three months. With respect to the same, a Press release read that, “The Student Bar Council is committed to standing by the student body during these trying times and ensuring your concerns are heard and acted upon. We are working closely with the administration to address the concerns of the student body”. 

Additionally, it has been noted that there has been an issuance of a note of caution by the Student Council to the media, that any publication in relation to the matter is done in a sensitive manner, and after being verified. It was agreed that an environment must be created wherein everyone feels supported, included and heard. Furthermore, it was also requested that the NLU Delhi members must stand with each other, to provide comfort and solidarity to one another. 

Furthermore, it has been highlighted by the Student Body that, academic rigour should never come at the cost of mental health, and hence with regard to the same, it was urged that immediate steps had to be taken to foster a culture of solidarity and care. 

Some of the key demands posed by the Student Body, for addressing the issue of mental health crisis on the campus include: 

  • Firstly, and enhanced mental health services, including counsellors on campus, therapists, and readily available mental health resources were asked for. This also included advocating for a better health awareness programme so as to “destigmatize” the concept of seeking help from others. 

  • Secondly, a more inclusive environment was to be created by the introduction of measures such as Peer Support Groups and Mentorship programs wherein students can share their hardships and struggles, thereby seeking guidance from the higher year students and the faculty members. 

  • Thirdly, Students have also demanded for a review of the university’s academic policies, suggesting changes for academic pressure without sufficient mental health support programs, that may otherwise contribute to stress and isolation. 

In response to such demands, it has been responded by the University that, steps have been taken to address these issues and that the students’ well-being is of paramount consideration. Further, it has also been stated that, in addition to the already present on-campus counsellors, the university has partnered with an online counselling platform, named YourDost, thus providing students with 24/7 access to mental health services.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, the need for a systematic change and mental well-being has been highlighted in the legal news, especially for the students who face an intense competition, isolation from others and what is popularly known, as emotional fatigue.


OLQ is a Pan-India basis law firm connecting legal expertise nationwide.

WRITTEN BY: THANUJA ARAVINDAN

GUIDED BY: ADVOCATE ANIK

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