Lok Sabha Question No. 1221 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-11
Subject: Manodarpan
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Aparupa  Poddar

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1221 ANSWERED ON-11/12/2023

## Manodarpan

## 1221. SHRIMATI APARUPA PODDAR:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government collects data on the number of beneficiaries under the
- Manodarpan Scheme; (b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise and if not the reasons therefor; (c) whether it is true that the Government has 352 counsellors to cater to more than 26 crore school students and if so, the reasons therefor; (d) whether the Government has taken any measure to increase the number of counsellors and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reason therefor; (e) whether the Government intends to conduct a study on the mental health of school students and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reason therefor; and for
- (f) whether the Government intends to collaborate with the State Government Manodarpan and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

(SMT. ANNPURNA DEVI)

- (a) and (b): The Government does not collect data on the number of beneficiaries under the Manodarpan scheme. However, following are the details of users/ viewership through various activities under the scheme: -
-  National toll-free helpline (844-844-0632), which has a countrywide outreach to students from schools, colleges and universities and to their families and teachers. Number of calls received on the helpline up to 30 th November, 2023 is 28,617.
-  Live discussion sessions and webinars: 'SAHYOG' sessions, are held from Monday to Friday (05:00 pm to 05:30 pm) with practicing counsellors from all the region of the country. Total viewership of different 'SAHYOG' sessions held from 1 st November, 2023 up to 30 th November, 2023 is 12,866.
-  'Paricharcha' webinars are held every Friday from 02:30 pm to 04:00 pm with experts in the field of mental health. Total viewership of different 'Paricharcha' webinars held from 1 st November, 2023 up to 30 th November, 2023 is 7,198. 'Paricharcha' and 'SAHYOG' are telecast on PM e-Vidya channels and are also available on 'NCERT Official' YouTube Channel.
-  Mental Health Week and International Mental Health Day celebration are facilitated in schools across the country every year since 2020. The aim is to build awareness and enhance sensitivity towards mental health and well-being among students through participation in experiential activities. A total of 1067 schools (including JNVs, KVs, State Government Schools and Private Schools) from various regions across the country shared information of Mental Health Week and Day Celebration by them with Manodarpan Cell in the year 2023.

Manodarpan Tele-helpline services are operated through IVRS which only contains total calls received on the helpline. Similarly, 'SAHYOG' & 'Paricharcha' sessions are live telecasted on PM e-Vidya channels and 'NCERT Official' YouTube Channel. The viewership of these sessions is available on You Tube collectively in form of the total views on each session and not based on State or Region.

(c): & (d): NCERT, as the apex national body working for quality in school education, has been offering professional training in Guidance and Counselling to support and strengthen the capacity of the counsellors and train teachers as first level counsellors so that they can extend help to school students to deal with everyday life stressors such as concerns related to academics, exams, relationships along with concerns such as traumatic life events, divorced/single parents, anger, violence, drug abuse, child abuse, HIV/AIDs, suicide, crime, etc. This course is offered at NIE, NCERT, New Delhi and Regional Institutes of Education (RIEs) at Ajmer, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Mysuru and Shillong.

(e): The Manodarpan Cell at NCERT conducted a survey on mental health and wellbeing of school students between January-March, 2022. A total of 3,79,842 students of classes 6 to 12 from 28 States and 8 UTs across different types of schools participated in the survey. The Survey Report was released on 6 th September, 2022.

(f): Manodarpan activities are carried out across the different regions by NCERT through Regional Institutes of Education (RIEs) through Organization of Conferences, Workshop and Orientation sessions with active participation of State Governments to create awareness among various stakeholders on mental health related concerns.

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