India takes steps to tackle student mental health crisis

The Uttar Pradesh government has recently implemented a ‘Student Mental Health and Well-being Policy’ across all higher education institutions. This move in India’s northern, most populous state marks an important shift towards treating student mental health as a critical public health issue.

In the light of rising cases of stress, anxiety and student suicides, the initiative aims to foster a safe and supportive academic environment in educational institutions.

Each institution will establish a ‘Mental Health Support Cell’, provide confidential counselling, set up referral systems for specialist care and train faculty and staff to identify students in distress.

This state-level initiative aligns with Supreme Court directives and the broader national framework currently being developed based on guidelines issued by the higher education regulator, the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Collectively, these measures form the foundation of a unified ‘Student Mental Health and Well-being Policy’. The objective is to ensure that all educational institutions – ranging from universities and colleges to coaching centres and hostels – provide structured psychological support to students.

Intense competition in entrance exams, career uncertainty and societal expectations have pushed thousands of young people into a state of severe burnout.

The impact of this crisis is evident in education hubs like Kota, Jaipur, Hyderabad and Delhi.

Recognising mental healthcare as a fundamental right to life, the Supreme Court in July 2025 ordered necessary changes to transform campuses from high-pressure environments into nurturing ones. The Supreme Court issued 15-point guidelines in July 2025 aimed at safeguarding student mental health and preventing suicides.

However, according to Dr Ashutosh Srivastava, Chief Psychologist at Aha Therapy, a mental-health platform in India, there is no official nationwide data on suicide prevalence among students or on the effectiveness of campus counselling or digital mental health services.

Srivastava's work emphasises a more proactive approach to student mental health, including early screening, identification of emerging concerns and timely engagement before problems escalate.

Rather than focusing solely on reactive therapeutic support, he advocates continuity of well-being care, using technology to help institutions engage with students earlier and provide ongoing support throughout their educational journey.

Following the apex court’s directives, the UGC constituted an expert committee led by Dr Rajinder K Dhamija, director of the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), Delhi.

The committee submitted its draft report and guidelines to UGC in January this year. The UGC released this report for public consultation and feedback on January 14, 2026.

The UGC guidelines mandate the appointment of dedicated psychological staff – one counsellor for every 100 students in smaller institutions and one for every 500 students in larger ones – and the establishment of ‘Student Service Centers’ (SSCs) equipped with mental health professionals and assessment tools for regular screening and early intervention.

Additionally, round-the-clock helplines and peer-support networks will provide immediate, non-discriminatory assistance.

However, many experts believe most institutions are ill-equipped to implement these measures effectively. According to Srivastava, reports indicate that nearly 70% of institutions lack a full-time mental health professional and fewer than 5% have a proper social management protocol.

“Most institutions are currently unprepared. Addressing this requires standard operating procedures and regular well-being audits. Furthermore, many third-party service providers also lack the capability to address these challenges holistically,” Srivastava told University World News.

Faculty and staff to be trained

UGC guidelines stress that faculty and staff will be trained to recognise early signs of distress. Institutions have been strictly prohibited from publicly shaming students or segregating classes based on academic marks.

Awareness regarding stress management and mental health will be integrated into the regular curriculum.

With the government data provided by the National Crime Records Bureau showing about an 80% increase in youth suicide over the last decade, Srivastava said nearly a third of university students experience moderate to severe depressive symptoms, and approximately 25% report anxiety symptoms.

“This is a critical issue. As the Supreme Court’s National Task Force noted, student suicides are driven not only by mental health challenges but also by complex institutional, social, academic, economic and family pressures,” he said.

Higher education institutions are implementing the UGC guidelines by establishing a structured support infrastructure, adhering to staff-student ratios and digitally tracking compliance.

“A counselling centre should be the final layer of a comprehensive system, yet in most current setups, it is the only layer. Universities need trained faculty, wardens, peers and staff capable of early identification of students in distress,” said Srivastava.

He added that universities must have clear risk assessment and referral protocols, round-the-clock support on residential campuses and ‘postvention’ services (support following an incident) for those affected by suicide.

Independent grievance redressal mechanisms and robust data privacy policies are also essential to ensure that the personal information of adult students is not shared with parents without their consent.

Minister of State (Junior Minister) for Education Dr Sukanta Majumdar told the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) last month that all IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology), IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management), NITs (National Institutes of Technology) and IIITs (Indian Institutes of Information Technology) have put in place dedicated mental health or counselling centres within their campuses, staffed with full-time or visiting professional counsellors, clinical psychologists, and in some cases, psychiatrists.

A large number of institutes regularly host mental health training sessions to raise awareness, reduce stigma and educate students about mental health issues. These sessions cover topics such as stress management, coping strategies and recognising the signs of mental health issues.

Some institutes offer on- and off-campus counselling services, where students can meet with mental health professionals, he said.

Optional wellness activities not enough

Srivastava emphasised that preventing student suicides requires systemic changes rather than merely optional wellness activities.

Key measures that are needed include replacing penalties for low attendance, backlogs, or poor rankings with supportive interventions, supplementary exams and multiple attempts, as well as addressing scholarship delays and financial stress – issues that disproportionately affect students in government institutions.

According to many academics, India’s 2026 UGC mental health guidelines mark an important shift: universities are now required to take concrete action rather than merely offering advice.

Srivastava said western universities in the UK, US, Australia and Canada rely heavily on hiring large numbers of specialists – an approach that will not work in India due to the acute shortage of qualified professionals. India needs to devise practical solutions tailored to its specific local needs.

“Given India’s shortage of qualified personnel, staffing ratios alone are not a feasible solution. We must conduct a realistic assessment of our context to develop indigenous, holistic solutions across both institutions and service providers,” he suggested.