Dharmendra Pradhan reviews draft school mental health policy, calls for holistic well-being framework

New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan chaired a review meeting on the draft National Mental Health and Well-Being Policy for Schools, and sought a holistic and preventive approach to promote mental wellness across the education ecosystem. The meeting was attended by officials, committee members and domain experts, and focused on strengthening mental well-being among students, teachers and the wider school community, the Ministry of Education said in a post on X on Friday.

"Dharmendra Pradhan chaired a detailed discussion during a review meeting with officials, committee members and domain experts on the proposed draft National Mental Health & Well-Being Policy for Schools," the ministry said. It was not clear as to when the meeting took place. Emphasising the importance of a holistic and preventive approach, Pradhan underscored the need to "foster safe, inclusive and supportive learning environments, build a positive school culture that promotes mental well-being, empathy, care, trust and emotional resilience, and integrate mental health and well-being into school system, practices and implementation as an integral part of quality education".

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The minister also said the policy should "leverage Indian Knowledge Systems and culture" and be "practically implementable", while positioning teachers as the first level of mentors for students. Officials had said last month that the ministry is also set to roll out a mental health policy at the school level and place it in the public domain soon.

"We will be putting it in the public domain very shortly," an official said, adding that it is likely to be released in the first week of June. "A child's mental health is influenced not only by school but also by the home environment. Therefore, it is essential for all to come together and regularly review the child's academic and overall progress," he said. The policy is expected to focus on strengthening mental health support systems in schools, including counselling and early identification of stress among students.