Lok Sabha Question No. 5116 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-04-03
Subject: New Guidelines for Promotion and Advertisement by Private Educational Institutions
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Pushpendra Singh Chandel, Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5116 ANSWERED ON 03.04.2023

## New Guidelines for Promotion and Advertisement by Private Educational Institutions

## †5116. SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

## SHRIMATI MALA RAJYA LAXMI SHAH:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken the initiative to issue new guidelines for the promotion and advertisement of their institutions by private educational institutions;

(b) whether the Government has also made efforts to reduce the psychological pressure exerted on students by private educational institutions and private coaching institutions; and (c) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

( SMT. ANNPURNA DEVI

(a):  No, Sir.

(b) & (c): The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, inter-alia, emphasises on the importance of the  nutrition  and  health  (including  mental  health)  of  children  which  can  be  addressed,  through healthy  meals  and  the  introduction  of  well-trained  social  workers,  counsellors,  and  community involvement in the schooling system to optimize students learning. (NEP para 2.9 and 4.28)

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. 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 counselling services,  online  resources  and  helpline.  Under  the  Manodarpan  initiative  a  Web  page  (URL: http://manodarpan.education.gov.in) has been created on  the Ministry of Education website carrying advisory  guidelines,  Frequently  Asked  Questions  (FAQs),  Practical  tips,  posters,  videos,  do's  and don'ts  for  students,  teachers/faculty  and  families  for  psychosocial  support.  A  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, which has been functional since 21 st July, 2020.  All the State and Union Territory Governments were advised to give wide publicity to the

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Manodarpan initiative of this Ministry so that the interested students/teachers/parent could make full use of these services. Series of Webinars and discussion sessions 'Paricharcha' are held under the Manodarpan initiative to reach out to students and all stakeholders with the aim to create awareness about mental health and well-being concerns and ways of dealing/coping with them. It provides a platform for all to seek psychosocial support from experts in the field of mental health, counsellors, psychologists and  educationists.  'Sahyog' live interactive sessions  are  held  every  day  for  students (classes VI-XII) from 5-5:30 pm on PM e-vidya channel with the focus on providing guidance for promoting mental well-being among students.

The Ministry of Education with the help of National Council of Educational Research and Training  (NCERT)  had  conducted  in  the  year  2022  a  Mental  Health  Survey  keeping  in  view  the perspectives of National Education Policy, 2020 which emphasizes students' mental health and wellbeing in order to provide holistic development. A total of 3,79,842 students of classes 6 to 12 from different  schools  across  the  country  participated  in  the  survey.  A  Modular  Handbook  on  'Early Identification  and  Intervention  for  Mental  Health  Problems  in  School-going,  Children'  has  been developed.  The  Handbook  includes  common  mental  health  issues  and  flag  signs  which  can  alert teachers  and  care-givers  to  identify  them,  sensitizing  stakeholders  on  issues  and  concerns  and suggestions for promoting mental health in the school eco-system.

Further, the Ministries of Health & Family Welfare and Education jointly implement School Health  and  Wellness  Programme  under  Ayushman  Bharat  to  improve  health  and  mental  wellness outcomes of school going children. Two teachers selected in every elementary school are trained as 'Health and Wellness Ambassadors' to transact weekly on health promotion and disease prevention with the children. In spite of Covid restrictions, National Resource Group (NRG) trained 1700 State Resource Groups (SRGs) across all States/UTs. SRGs facilitate the training of Health and Wellness Ambassadors (HWAs) in their respective states. More than 2,49,000 HWAs have been trained so far from  279  districts  in  33  States/UTs.  About  1.4  lakh  Head  Teachers  of  School  have  also  been appropriately  oriented.  The  programme  is  not  only  expanding  to  more  districts,  but  the  trained HWAs have also begun weekly school-based activities with students in many States/UTs. In order to strengthen  reporting  by  HWAs,  a  comprehensive  management  information  system  has  also  been operationalized and is currently being pilot tested in select States.

University  Grants  Commission  (UGC)  has  issued  guidelines  to  all  the  Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) to provide psychological support to students which inter-alia states  that  all  the HEls should mandatorily put in place a "Students Counselling System" for the effective redressal of problems  and  challenges  faced  by  students.  It  should  be  a  unique,  interactive  and  target-oriented system, involving students, teachers and parents to address common student concerns ranging from anxiety, stress, fear of change and failure to homesickness and a slew of other academic worries. It should bridge formal as well as communicative gaps between the students and the institution at large. Teacher counsellors, trained to act as the guardians of students at the college level, should remain in close  touch  with  the  students  allotted  to  them  throughout  the  year,  cater  to  their  emotional  and intellectual  needs  and  guide  them  to  move  up  in  their  career  at  regular  interval  of  time.  Besides, Universities were requested to create the Students Counseling Centre where the services of a trained psychologist  may  be  availed  as  and  when  required.  UGC  has  also  issued  an  advisory  regarding National Suicide Prevention Strategy in January, 2023 which is available on the website of UGC.

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