The Supreme Court of India has issued stringent directives to Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) nationwide to address the alarming rise in student suicides and ensure comprehensive student welfare. The ruling, delivered by a bench comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan, mandates the immediate reporting of any student suicide or unnatural death to police authorities, regardless of where it occurs – be it on campus, in hostels, paying guest accommodations, or involving online/distance learning students. This crucial measure aims to ensure prompt accountability and thorough investigation into such tragic incidents. Annually, HEIs are also required to submit reports of these cases to the University Grants Commission (UGC) and other relevant regulatory bodies, or to the Department of Higher Education for Central Universities and Institutes of National Importance. A significant aspect of these directives focuses on safeguarding students from being penalized due to administrative delays in scholarship disbursal. The Supreme Court unequivocally stated that no student should be barred from attending classes, prevented from appearing in examinations, removed from hostels, or have their mark sheets and degrees withheld on account of delayed scholarship payments. The Court further directed that all pending scholarship disbursements must be cleared within four months by the concerned Central and State government authorities. For future scholarships, clear timelines are to be established, and any unavoidable administrative delays must be communicated to both the institution and the student within two months, ensuring students are not made accountable for fees in such scenarios. These directives stem from a petition filed by parents of two IIT Delhi students who allegedly died by suicide due to caste-based discrimination and academic pressure. The Court's intervention, based on an interim report from a court-constituted National Task Force (NTF) formed on March 24, 2025, emphasizes that HEIs cannot abdicate their fundamental duty to provide safe, equitable, inclusive, and conducive learning environments. Other significant directives include ensuring 24x7 access to qualified medical assistance for residential HEIs, filling vacant administrative and faculty positions within four months, and strict compliance with anti-ragging and anti-discrimination regulations. The ruling underscores the systemic crisis of student distress, moving beyond individual tragedies to institutional accountability, and implicitly transforms mental health into an aspect of the fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.