OTP-based info sharing can cut ragging cases, student suicides up to 90% a year: NGO tells national task force

NEW DELHI: The Society Against Violence in Education (SAVE), an anti-ragging nonprofit organisation, has submitted comprehensive recommendations to the Supreme Court-appointed National Task Force (NTF) on mental health of students aimed at preventing suicides at educational institutes. The NGO believes that “OTP based information sharing system has the potential to eliminate up to 90% of ragging incidents and related fatalities within a year”, said the release shared by the organisation.

Rupesh Kumar Jha, National Coordinator of SAVE said: “We can eliminate 90% of ragging suicides just in one year. In the age of UPI and Chandrayaan, the need is to use technology smartly.”

The key recommendations of SAVE include making contact details of senior students, parents available to freshers via OTP-based services, mandatory online undertakings by parents, mandatory compliance reporting by colleges, public disclosure of compliance reports, anonymous reporting mechanisms, central legislation on ragging, dedicated appellate forums and professional counseling services.

Also read Anti-ragging helpline has failed medical college students; need national law: SC lawyer

The task force was set up after the Supreme Court took cognizance of the rising suicide rates across education institutions in India in a judgment on March 24 by a bench led by Justice JB Pardiwala. This came after two BTech Dalit students died by suicide on the campus of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi in 2023.

Recommendations to Supreme Court task force

The NTF has already started functioning and will seek public input in preparing its reports on addressing mental health issues in educational institutions across the country. Its first meeting was held on March 29, 2025, where the task force outlined plans to explore the root causes of suicides in higher education institutes.

While SAVE has been working on ragging issues across India, this letter to the NTF represents a ‘call to national attention’ to consider these recommendations. Meera Kaura Patel, advocate-on-record at the Supreme Court and legal head of SAVE, said, “The time has come to confront ragging not as harmless fun, but as a systemic form of violence driving students to suicide. We urge the media, civil society, and lawmakers to discuss these recommendations seriously.”

Also read 38.6% of ragging cases reported at medical colleges; West Bengal, UP, BHU with most complaints

According to SAVE’s recent report titled State of Ragging in India 2022-24, 51 ragging deaths were reported from across universities and colleges between 2022-24. The report was based on 3,156 complaints registered at the Anti-Ragging Helpline from 1,946 colleges.

If you know someone – friend or family member – at risk of suicide, please reach out to them. Those in distress or having suicidal thoughts or tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling 9820466726 or visiting AASRA’s official website or can call iCALL on 9152987821. Here are some more helpline numbers of suicide prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.