Lok Sabha Question No. 2144 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-12
Subject: Mental Health of Students
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Eswarasamy K

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRY OFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2144 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12 TH DECEMBER, 2025

## MENTALHEALTH OFSTUDENTS

## 2144. SHRI ESWARASAMY K:

Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware that student suicides account for around 7.6% of total suicides in the country indicating a serious youth mental health concern and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the number of districts have been covered under the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) during the last three years, year-wise;

(c) the number of schools/colleges that have implemented active student mental health programmes/components, State/UT-wise and year-wise;

(d) the number of student beneficiaries reached under DMHP, including counselling sessions, referrals, and resource allocation for student mental health; and

(e) whether any review or audit of DMHP's impact on reducing student suicides has been conducted and if so, the findings and the implementation timeframe?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE (SH. PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a) As per the information received from National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), the students suicides account for around 7.6% of total suicides in the country for the year 2022.

(b) To address the burden of mental disorders, the Government of India is implementing the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) in the country. The District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) component of the NMHP has been sanctioned for implementation in 716, 743 and 767 districts during the last three years for which support is provided to States/UTs through the National Health Mission. Facilities made available under DMHP at the Community Health Centre(CHC) and Primary Health Centre(PHC) levels for all including elderly, inter- alia, include outpatient services, assessment, counselling/ psycho-social interventions, continuing care and support to persons with severe mental disorders, drugs, outreach services, ambulance services etc. In addition to above services there is a provision of 10 bedded in-patient facility at the District level.

(c) to (e) Under DMHP, targeted interventions are conducted for school and college students. Under Targeted interventions, the following activities are carried out in the districts across the country:

- i. Life skills education & counselling in schools - 100 teachers to be trained as Master trainers from each block having 25-30 schools.
- ii. College counselling services - training of college teachers to work as as counsellors.
- iii. Counselling of Out of school children having mental health problems/ Adolescent mental health program
- iv. Suicide prevention services Workplace Stress Management Programs

As part of targeted interventions done for the students under DMHP in FY 2025-26, the counselling services were provided to 65278 students through 5111 counselling sessions conducted in schools and colleges in the FY 2025-26 (till 30.09.2025).

The Government is also taking steps to strengthen mental healthcare services at primary healthcare level. The Government has upgraded more than 1.81 lakh Sub Health Centres (SHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Mental health services have been added in the packages of services under Comprehensive Primary Health Care provided at these Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Operational guidelines and training manuals for various cadres on Mental, Neurological, and Substance Use Disorders (MNS) at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been released under the ambit of Ayushman Bharat.

'Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health' is incorporated as a dedicated module under Ayushman Bharat School Health & Wellness Programme. Health and Wellness Ambassadors (Teachers) are trained on mental health along with other thematic areas of the programme, take interactive sessions with the students and percolate the messages through weekly sessions promoting joyful learning.

The Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare through its interventions viz. Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHC), Peer Education Programme and Adolescent Health and Wellness Days (AH&WD) creates awareness on mental health issues and provides counselling services. Peer Educators form groups of 15-20 boys and girls in the community and conduct weekly one to two hour participatory sessions on adolescent health including mental health and wellbeing.

Ministry of Education (MoE), has launched an initiative, Manodarpan, with the aim to provide psychosocial support to students, their families and teachers across the country, for mental health and well-being . All activities undertaken under the Manodarpan initiative are aimed towards supporting the metal health and well-being of students from schools, colleges and universities, including those students who are preparing for competitive examinations.

University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued Guidelines for Promotion of Physical Fitness, Sports, Student's Health, Welfare, Psychological and Emotional Well- being at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) on 13.04.2023, which provides for promotion of physical fitness and sports activities for students; creation of safeguards against academic pressure, peer pressure, behavioral issues, stress, career concerns, depression and other issues on the mental health of students; to teach positive thinking and emotions in the student community; and to promote a positive and supportive network for students.

Besides the above, the Government has launched a 'National Tele Mental Health Programme' on 10th October, 2022, to further improve access to quality mental health counselling and care services in the country. As on 27.11.2025, 36 States/ UTs have set up 53 Tele MANAS Cells and have started tele mental health services. More than 29,82,000 calls have been handled on the helpline number.

The Government has also launched Tele MANAS Mobile Application on the occasion of World Mental Health Day - October 10, 2024. Tele-MANAS Mobile Application is a comprehensive mobile platform that has been developed to provide support for mental health issues ranging from well being to mental disorders. The Government has also launched the video consultation facility under Tele-MANAS, as another upgrade to the already existing audio calling facility.

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