Lok Sabha Question No. 93 (STARRED), answered on 2021-02-08
Subject: Mental Health of Students
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Bheemrao Baswanthrao Patil

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

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 93

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.02.2021

## Mental Health of Students

## *93. SHRI B.B.PATIL:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  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  colleges,  manned  by  a  pool  of  experienced  Counsellors,  Psychologists  and Mental Health Professionals for help during the COVID crisis and beyond;

- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

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

- (a) to (c) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (c) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 93 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.02.2021 ASKED BY SHRI B.B.PATIL,  HONOURABLE  MEMBER  OF  PARLIAMENT  REGARDING  'MENTAL HEALTH OF STUDENTS'.

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(a) to (c) The Ministry of Education has undertaken a proactive 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 Ministry of Education 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 and 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.

A Web-page for Manodarpan (URL: http://manodarpan.mhrd.gov.in )  has  been  created on the Website of the Ministry of Education.

Advisory guidelines for students, teachers/faculty and families and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) have been prepared and uploaded on the Web-page. Practical tips, posters, videos, do's and don'ts for psychosocial support have also been uploaded on the Web-page. These items are regularly updated.

A National level database and directory of counselors at School and University level and identify those Counsellors whose services can be offered voluntarily for Tele-Counselling Service on the National Helpline  has  been prepared. 500 counsellors  from  school  and Higher Education  have been mapped to manage the Helpline.

National Toll-free Helpline ( 8448440632 ) 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 has been set up.  The National Tollfree  helpline  has  been  functional  since  21 st July,  2020. A  total  of  12361  calls  have  been received from 21 st July, 2020 to 1 st February, 2021.

Handbooks on (i) Mental Health & Wellbeing- A perspective, and (ii) 21 st century life skills have been prepared and uploaded on the Manodarpan web page.

Action on the other components  of  the Manodarpan  initiative is at various stages of implementation.

In addition to the Manodarpan, the following activities have also been initiated for mental health and well-being of students:

International Adolescent summit on Life Skills, Health, Safety and Well being was held on 18 th December, 2020. About 17000 students participated in the summit.

National  Book  Trust  (NBT)  has  published  a  series  of  seven  (07)  booklets  related  to  the psychological impact of the pandemic and how to cope with it.

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