Lok Sabha Question No. 1334 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-19
Subject: Manodarpan
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Gitaben Vajesingbhai Rathva, Kotha Prabhakar  Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1334 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.09.2020

## MANODARPAN

## 1334. SHRIMATI VANGA GEETHA VISWANATH: SHRI KOTHA PRABHAKAR REDDY:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government rolled out a mental health initiative named Manodarpan keeping in mind the stress faced by students and their families especially during the COVID-19 pandemic with the platform including a national toll free helpline for students of schools, universities and professionals for help during the COVID crisis and beyond;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) if not, the reason therefor?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

- (a) & (b) The  Ministry  of  Education  has  undertaken  an  initiative,  named, ' Manodarpan ' , covering  a  wide  range  of  activities  to  provide  psychosocial  support  to  students,  teachers  and families for Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing during the COVID outbreak and beyond. A  Working Group, having experts from the fields of education, mental health and psychosocial issues  as  its  members,  has  been  set  up  to  monitor  and  promote  the  mental  health  issues  and concerns  of  students  and  to  facilitate  providing  of  support  to  address  the  mental  health  and psychosocial aspects during and after COVID-19 lockdown, through conselling services, online resources and helpline.

The following components are included in the 'Manodarpan' initiative:

- a. Advisory Guidelines for students, teachers and faculty of School systems and Universities along with families.
- b. Web page on the MHRD website carrying  advisory, practical tips, posters, videos, do's and don'ts for psychosocial support, FAQs and online query system.
- c. National level database and directory of counsellors at School and University levels.
- d. National  Toll-free  Helpline for  a  country  wide  outreach  to  students  from  school, universities and colleges.
- e. Handbook on Psychosocial Support: Enriching Life skills & Wellbeing of Students'
- f. Interactive Online Chat Platform for contact, counselling and guidance by psychologists and other mental health professionals for students, teachers, and families during COVID-19 and beyond.
- g. Webinars, audio-visual resources including videos, posters, flyers, comics, and short films with focus on convergence of resources from other Ministries/Departments on physical and creative well-being which are essential parts of Mental well-being.

The  web-page  (URL:  http://manodarpan.mhrd.gov.in  ),  containing  advisory,  practical  tips, posters, videos, do's and don'ts, FAQs, online query system and other resources for psychosocial support and the National Toll-free Helpline (8448440632) set up for a country-wide outreach to students from schools, colleges and universities to provide them tele-counselling to address their mental  health  and  psychosocial  issues  during  and  after  the  COVID-19  situation  have  been launched on the 21 st July, 2020.

- (c) Does not arise.

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