India, March 2 -- The parents of Nashik-based Varad Nerker were overjoyed to see their son accepted into the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi's Masters of Technology programme. He excelled academically, achieving an impressive 8.9 cumulative grade point average and securing a job through campus placement. To his peers, Nerker was not only talented but also a friendly and promising individual. However, tragedy struck when he took his own life on February 15, 2024, just months before graduating from IIT Delhi.

In the last 24 months alone, there have been 31 reported student suicides at the IITs.

The Mental Healthcare Act 2017 mandates the state to provide necessary care, treatment, and rehabilitation for persons, pa...