Subject: Health

Introduction:

The National Crime Records Bureau’s Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI) 2023 report recorded 1,71,418 suicides, a marginal 0.3% rise from 2022. While the suicide rate per lakh population declined slightly, absolute numbers remain high, underscoring a deep social, economic, and psychological crisis.

National Data and Trends as per ADSI, 2023:

1. Demographics: Men constituted 72.8% of suicides in 2023.
2. Leading Causes: Family problems: 31.9%; Illness: 19%; Substance abuse: 7%; Relationship and marriage-related issues: around 10% combined.
3. Regional Variation: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Sikkim, and Kerala had the highest suicide rates, while Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and West Bengal together accounted for over 40% of all cases.
4. Urban vs Rural: Cities reported consistently higher suicide rates than rural areas, reflecting the psychological stress of urbanisation and competition.

Farmer Suicides and Rural Distress:

1. Farmer deaths: 10,786 suicides (6.3% of total) in 2023, concentrated mainly in Maharashtra and Karnataka.
2. Long-term pattern: Over 1,00,000 farmers have taken their lives since 2014. Between 1995 and 2015, nearly 2,96,000 deaths were linked to debt, market volatility, and institutional neglect.
3. Underlying causes: Debt, crop failure, inadequate price support, and the absence of reliable social safety nets.
4. Invisible victims: Homemakers and caregivers, particularly women, face rising rates of depression and domestic stress but remain underrepresented in official data.

Student Suicides in India:

• Rising Trend: Students account for 6–8.1% of all suicides (NCRB data). In 2023, there were 13,892 student suicides, a 65% rise over the decade, outpacing the national average increase.
• Major Causes: Academic pressure, parental expectations, toxic competition, and poor mental health infrastructure are leading contributors.
• Psychological Impact: Surveys show high levels of anxiety, depression, and distress, with notable gender disparities in emotional well-being.

Magnitude of Mental Illness in India:

1. Estimated burden: Nearly 230 million Indians live with mental disorders ranging from depression and anxiety to bipolar disorder and substance use.
2. Treatment gap: 70–92% of individuals with severe illness receive no formal care.
3. Lifetime prevalence: 10.6%, according to national health data.
4. Global comparison: WHO estimates India’s suicide rate at 16.3 per 1,00,000, significantly higher than the global average.

Systemic Gaps and Institutional Failures:

1. Workforce shortage: Only 0.75 psychiatrists and 0.12 psychologists per 1,00,000 population, below WHO’s minimum of 1.7 psychiatrists and far from the ideal of 3.
2. Underfunding: Mental health receives only 1.05% of India’s health budget, compared to 8–10% in countries like Australia, Canada, and the UK.
3. Policy–practice gap:
   • The Mental Healthcare Act (2017) decriminalised suicide and guaranteed the right to care.
   • The National Suicide Prevention Strategy (2022) targeted a 10% reduction in suicides.
   • However, implementation remains weak, and suicides continue to rise.
4. Non-functional initiatives:
   • The Manodarpan school-based support scheme remains largely inactive.
   • ₹270 crore allocated for mental health is largely unspent.

Persistent Challenges:

1. Treatment Gaps: 70–92% of individuals with common disorders like depression and anxiety remain untreated.
2. Infrastructure Deficits: Inadequate availability of psychotropic medicines and rehabilitation services, which meet less than 15% of actual demand.
3. Stigma and Awareness: Over 50% of Indians still attribute mental illness to personal weakness or shame, limiting early intervention.
4. Workforce Urban Bias: Mental health professionals remain concentrated in cities, leaving rural areas, where 70% of India’s population lives, largely unserved.

Steps to Strengthen India’s Mental Health System: Way Forward

1. Budget Expansion: Raise mental health allocation to at least 5% of total health spending, ensuring resources for workforce, infrastructure, and medicine.
2. Workforce Development: Train and deploy mid-level mental health providers to fill rural gaps and meet WHO’s minimum density.
3. Integration: Embed mental health into primary health care and universal insurance coverage.
4. Monitoring: Create a cascade-based national monitoring system to track outcomes, ensure accountability, and guide funding.
5. Anti-Stigma Campaigns: Institutionalise mental health education in schools and workplaces, aiming for 60% literacy coverage by 2027.
6. Cross-Ministerial Coordination: Establish a unified framework linking health, education, social justice, and labour for cohesive policy execution.

Mentor’s Comment

The significance of traditional medicine has moved far beyond being an alternative to modern healthcare. With its widespread practice across 170 countries, increasing global market share, and India’s leadership through AYUSH, traditional medicine now represents a paradigm shift from reactive to preventive healthcare. This article explores the transformation of traditional medicine, India’s global leadership, scientific validation, and its contemporary relevance in addressing both lifestyle diseases and climate change.

Introduction

Traditional medicine, once considered peripheral to mainstream health systems, is increasingly being recognised as central to global health. The World Health Organization reports that 88% of its member-states practise traditional medicine, making it a cornerstone of healthcare for billions. India, with its vibrant AYUSH sector, is at the forefront of this transformation — combining ancient wisdom with modern science, and positioning itself as a global leader in preventive, sustainable, and inclusive healthcare.

Why is traditional medicine in the news?

The growing relevance of Ayurveda and related systems has been highlighted due to multiple firsts and major developments. The WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in India marks a historic milestone, anchoring India as a hub for global research and innovation in this field. The AYUSH industry’s eight-fold growth within a decade, and exports reaching $1.54 billion to 150 countries, reflect the scale of transformation. With the 2025 theme of “Ayurveda for People & Planet”, traditional medicine is being reframed not just as healthcare but as a holistic movement addressing lifestyle diseases, biodiversity conservation, and climate change.

How significant is the global presence of traditional medicine?

1. WHO report: 170 of 194 countries (88%) practise traditional medicine.
2. Primary healthcare: For billions in low- and middle-income countries, it remains the first line of treatment due to affordability and accessibility.
3. Market size: Global traditional medicine market projected to hit $583 billion by 2025, growing at 10–20% annually.
4. Country data: China’s TCM valued at $122.4 billion, Australia’s herbal medicine at $3.97 billion, India’s AYUSH sector at $43.4 billion.

What has been India’s transformation in AYUSH?

1. Industrial growth: Over 92,000 MSMEs drive the AYUSH sector. Revenues expanded from ₹21,697 crore (2014-15) to ₹1.37 lakh crore today.
2. Services sector: Generated ₹1.67 lakh crore in revenue.
3. Exports: AYUSH and herbal products worth $1.54 billion reach over 150 countries.
4. Recognition abroad: Ayurveda now has formal recognition as a medical system in multiple nations.
5. Public awareness: NSSO (2022-23) survey — 95% rural, 96% urban awareness; over half of India used AYUSH in the past year.

How is India promoting scientific validation and global outreach?

1. Research institutions: AIIMS Ayurveda, National Institute of Ayurveda, and CCRAS focus on drug standardisation, clinical validation, and integrative care models.
2. International cooperation: 25 bilateral agreements, 52 institutional partnerships, 43 AYUSH cells in 39 countries, 15 academic chairs abroad.
3. WHO Centre: WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in India integrates traditional knowledge with AI, big data, and digital health.
4. AI integration: WHO publication highlights AI’s role in predictive care and strengthening clinical validation.

Why is Ayurveda relevant to global challenges today?

1. Philosophy of balance: Between body–mind, human–nature, consumption–conservation.
2. Lifestyle diseases: Offers preventive care against rising global non-communicable diseases.
3. Climate change: Promotes sustainability and biodiversity conservation.
4. Beyond humans: Extends to veterinary care and plant health.
5. Theme 2025: “Ayurveda for People & Planet” underlines Ayurveda as both a wellness system and a planetary health framework.

Conclusion

Traditional medicine, led by Ayurveda, has transitioned from being an ancient practice to a modern global movement. India’s leadership, backed by research, exports, and global outreach, has made it central to the evolving global health architecture. As the world faces lifestyle disorders and ecological crises, Ayurveda’s holistic framework offers sustainable solutions for both people and the planet.

Mentor’s Comment

The recent Supreme Court judgment in Sukdeb Saha vs State of Andhra Pradesh (2025) has elevated mental health to the level of a constitutional right under Article 21. More than a verdict on an individual tragedy, it has emerged as a landmark with systemic implications, redefining how student suicides, institutional neglect, and structural victimisation are understood in India. This article dissects the judgment, its social, legal, and criminological dimensions, and its significance for UPSC aspirants.

Introduction

In July 2025, the Supreme Court of India declared mental health to be an integral part of the right to life under Article 21. Triggered by the tragic suicide of a 17-year-old NEET aspirant in Visakhapatnam, the case (Sukdeb Saha vs State of Andhra Pradesh) transcended individual loss to expose the systemic failures of India’s education ecosystem. For the first time, the Court explicitly linked student suicides with institutional neglect and structural violence, framing mental health as a public injustice rather than a private bereavement. This landmark ruling has far-reaching implications for governance, education, victimology, and social justice.

Why is the Judgment in the News?

The verdict is a constitutional milestone because it:

1. Recognises mental health as a fundamental right under Article 21, not just a statutory right under the Mental Healthcare Act 2017.
2. Issues binding Saha Guidelines mandating schools, colleges, hostels, and coaching institutes to proactively create mental health support systems.
3. Shifts accountability from individual students to institutions, framing neglect as a form of structural violence.
4. Addresses India’s alarming student suicide epidemic, exposing deep systemic and cultural failures.
5. This is the first time the Court has extended the doctrine of state responsibility to mental well-being, making it a case of historic significance.

How does the case highlight structural victimisation?

1. Structural neglect: Education systems, coaching centres, and hostels create conditions of high pressure with little support, making students vulnerable.
2. State complicity: By failing to provide safeguards, institutions and the state become indirect perpetrators of harm.
3. Victimology lens: Students are not merely individuals battling internal struggles; they are victims of systemic injustice and exploitative cultures.

Why does the verdict matter legally?

1. Constitutional elevation: Mental health is no longer a mere statutory right but a fundamental right under Article 21.
2. Gap filling: The Mental Healthcare Act 2017 remains poorly enforced; the judgment provides a stronger normative benchmark.
3. Legislative force: The Saha Guidelines have the same weight as law until Parliament enacts a mental health code.

What are the “Saha Guidelines”?

1. Institutional responsibility: Schools, colleges, hostels, and coaching institutes must establish mental health support systems.
2. Time-bound compliance: States and UTs must frame rules within two months.
3. Monitoring mechanisms: Creation of district-level monitoring committees for accountability.
4. Binding nature: These interim orders have legislative effect until codified.

Can student suicides be seen as structural violence?

1. Galtung’s theory: Structural violence occurs when societal structures systematically deprive individuals of basic needs.
2. Application: Educational institutions that ignore psychological well-being indirectly inflict harm.
3. Reframing suicides: Shifts the discourse from “personal failures” to systemic injustice requiring state intervention.

What are the challenges in implementation?

1. Institutional inertia: Schools and coaching centres often resist reform.
2. Resource constraints: Lack of trained mental health professionals in India.
3. Cultural barriers: Persistent stigma around psychological counselling.
4. State responsibility: The verdict’s success depends on political will, monitoring, and investment in mental health infrastructure.

Conclusion

The Sukdeb Saha judgment is a watershed moment in constitutional jurisprudence. By recognising mental health as a core aspect of the right to life, it challenges society to confront uncomfortable truths about neglect, exploitation, and indifference in the education system. Yet, the ruling’s legacy will depend on whether the Saha Guidelines are translated into action or remain judicial rhetoric. For students, too often silenced by despair, this judgment is a promise of dignity, recognition, and justice.

Mentor’s Comment:

Organ transplantation is one of modern medicine’s greatest achievements, yet India’s deceased donor rate is among the lowest globally. This editorial breaks myths, outlines systemic gaps, and suggests awareness and policy measures, crucial for UPSC aspirants studying public health, ethics, and governance.

Introduction

On World Organ Donation Day (August 13), India’s organ shortage stands out starkly. Annual transplants rose from 4,990 in 2013 to 18,378 in 2023, but only 1,099 came from deceased donors. The donation rate remains just 0.8 per million, far behind Spain’s 45+, causing over half a million preventable deaths each year. Myths, misinformation, and mistrust worsen the crisis, making awareness drives, medical transparency, and strong policy reforms urgent.

Scale of India’s Organ Donation Gap

1. High fatalities: 5 lakh+ deaths yearly due to organ shortage
2. PYQ LinkageLow deceased donor rate: 0.8/million vs Spain’s 45+/million
3. Growing numbers, limited impact: 18,378 transplants in 2023 but majority from living donors.

Prevailing Myths and Misconceptions

1. Body disfigurement fear: Retrieval preserves appearance for rites
2. Religious objections: All major faiths endorse donation as compassion
3. Brain death mistrust: Legal safeguards under Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994 ensure ethical process

Eligibility Beyond Young Accident Victims

1. Older donors viable: Kidneys, liver segments, lungs, corneas possible from natural deaths
2. Tissue donations are valuable: Bone, skin, heart valves save/improve lives

Strengthening Awareness and Trust

1. Community workshops: Address myths, explain medical protocols
2. Education integration: Include donation ethics in schools/colleges
3. Media storytelling: Use real donor-recipient cases to inspire
4. Medical leadership: Train healthcare staff for sensitive family outreach

Policy Measures for Closing the Gap

1. Presumed consent model: Opt-out system like Spain, Croatia
2. Family support systems: Ensure transparency, grievance redressal
3. Dedicated coordination teams: Guide families with empathy

Conclusion

India stands at a moral and medical crossroads. Organ donation must shift from being a rare, heroic act to a societal norm supported by robust legal safeguards and empathetic outreach. Busting myths, embedding awareness into education, and exploring bold policy innovations like presumed consent could ensure no Indian dies for want of an organ. On World Organ Donation Day, the call is clear: pledge, register, and respect the choice to give life.

Micro Theme Mapping

Practice Mains Questions:

“In India, organ donation is more a matter of societal will than medical capacity.” Critically examine, suggesting measures to improve donation rates. (250 words)