TIRUCHY: Many colleges still lack basic counselling infrastructure to help youth overcome suicidal tendencies, according to the PhD research paper by Justice RN Manjula of the Madras High Court. Justice Manjula, who was among the PhD awardees at Bharathidasan University’s 40th convocation on Wednesday, dealt with the growing concern of suicidal ideation among students in higher educational institutions.
She identified five key factors as influencing suicidal ideation among students, including family pressures, institutional environment, and socio-economic stressors.
“What is required is a supportive ecosystem – from the family to the campus – where students feel safe to seek help,” she said, urging institutions to prioritise mental health and proactive counselling services, “ the judge told TNIE.
Her research paper titled ‘Prevalence of suicidal ideation among students of higher educational institutions in Chennai: An analysis from a gender perspective’, was conducted under the department of women’s studies, Bharathidasan University, based on a survey conducted among 2,000 students in more than 20 higher educational institutions in Chennai.
The research found that 10.8% of students reported suicidal ideation – 69.3% of them men and 30.7% women. The findings gain significance amid recent Supreme Court directives urging higher educational institutions to strengthen mental health safeguards, counselling mechanisms, and institutional accountability.
Speaking to TNIE, Justice Manjula said her interest in the subject emerged during her tenure as a principal sub judge in Tiruchy, where she frequently encountered suicide-related cases. “Those cases disturbed me deeply. I kept wondering why people around the individual failed to provide timely emotional support,” she said.