Lok Sabha Question No. 1059 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-05
Subject: Prevalence of Mental Health Conditions
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Thiru Dayanidhi Maran

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1059 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05 TH DECEMBER, 2025

## PREVALENCE OF MENTALHEALTH CONDITIONS

## 1059. THIRU DAYANIDHI MARAN:

## Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the recent WHO study indicating that one in every 100 global deaths is due to suicide and that depression and anxiety are among the most common underlying conditions and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has undertaken any national-level assessment of the prevalence of mental health conditions particularly depression, anxiety and related disorders in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of surveys/studies/assessments conducted during the last five years on mental health, including any data available on disease burden, treatment gaps or suicide trends, Statewise;
- (d) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government under National Mental Health Programme/Mission to expand mental healthcare services; and
- (e) the measures taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to reduce the shortage of psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, clinical psychologists, counsellors and other mental health professionals across the country?

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

(a) to (c) The Government is aware of the findings of the World Health Organization (WHO). Key points from the WHO's report of 'World Mental Health Today: Latest Data', 2025 states that globally, suicide accounts for more than one in every 100 deaths.

The Government conducted the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS), 2015-16 of India through the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru in 12 States of the country, as per which the prevalence of mental disorders in adults over the age of 18 years is about 10.6%. The major findings of the survey are as under:

- i. The prevalence of mental morbidity is high in urban metropolitan areas.
- ii. Mental disorders are closely linked to both causation and consequences of several non-communicable disorders (NCD).
- iii. Nearly 1 in 40 and 1 in 20 persons suffer from past and current depression, respectively.
- iv. Neurosis and stress related disorders affect 3.5% of the population and was reported to be higher among females (nearly twice as much in males).
- v. Data indicate that 0.9 % of the survey population were at high risk of suicide.
- vi. Nearly 50% of persons with major depressive disorders reported difficulties in carrying out their daily activities.

Apart from NMHS, the following national level surveys/ studies/ assessments conducted during the last five years on mental healthcare as follows:

- i. The Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) is a nationwide panel survey of adults aged 45 and older and their spouses less than 45 years, collecting data on their health, social and economic well-being.
- ii. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) conducted the 'National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India' in all the 36 states/UTs of the country with an objective to assess the extent and pattern of substance use in India.
- iii. The National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) under the aegis / ambit of Ministry of Home Affairs publishes the Annual Report on 'Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India' stating the data of suicides and its causes / reasons.

(d) and (e) 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 767 districts 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, interalia, include outpatient services, assessment, counselling/ psycho-social interventions, continuing care and support to persons with severe mental disorders, drugs, outreach services, ambulance services etc.

Under the tertiary care component of NMHP, under Manpower Development Scheme-A, 25 Centres of Excellence have been sanctioned to increase the intake of students in PG departments in mental health specialities as well as to provide tertiary level treatment facilities. Further, the Government has also supported 19 Government medical colleges/institutions to strengthen 47 PG Departments in mental health specialties under Manpower Development Scheme-B.

The Government has launched a 'National Tele Mental Health Programme' (NTMHP) on 10th October, 2022, that functions as the digital arm of the District Mental Health Programme to provide universal access to equitable, accessible, affordable and quality mental health care through 24 x 7 tele-mental health counselling services. For this, a toll-free number (14416) has been set up across the country.

As on 27.11.2025, 36 States/ UTs have set up 53 Tele MANAS Cells. Tele-MANAS services are available in 20 languages based on language opted by States. 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.

There has been significant increase in Medical Colleges, Under Graduate(UG) and Post Graduate (PG) seats in the country. There is an increase in Medical Colleges from 387 to 818; UG seats from 51,348 to 1,28,875 and PG seats from 31,185 to 82,059 from 2014 to as on date

As per information provided by National Medical Commission (NMC), there are 13,86,150 registered allopathic doctors. Psychiatry now has been made a compulsory subject with a dedicated question paper in MBBS. The curriculum is now competency based. The numbers of hours of psychiatry teaching and clinical postings is increased, marks for psychiatry have been increased and the psychiatry internship is made mandatory.

For increasing the number of psychiatrists in the Country, Post Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) of National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued the Minimum Standard of Requirements for Post-Graduate Courses -2023 (PGMSR-2023) on 15.1.2024. For starting/ increase of seats in MD (Psychiatry), the number of OPD has been brought down to 30 per day for annual intake of maximum 2 PG students with 20% increase for each additional seat. Similarly, the minimum beds required per unit for starting MD (Psychiatry) course with 2 seats, 3 seats and 5 seats in a medical college is 8 beds, 12 beds and 20 beds respectively.

As per information received from Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), at present, 66 institutions/universities are offering M.Phil Clinical Psychology course. The Council has launched B.Sc. Clinical Psychology (Hons.) course from the academic session 2024- 25 and granted approval to 19 universities to offer this course for developing more professionals in clinical psychology.

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