New framework to address mental health, discrimination in universities; Education minister holds meeting

NEW DELHI: While chairing a review meeting today, the union education and skill development minister Dharmendra Pradhan has asked officials including from the ministry, CBSE, AICTE and UGC to put in place an effective grievance redressal system to address mental health, social well-being of students and discrimination in universities. To further safeguard the mental and emotional wellbeing of the students, the ministry said, it is preparing a ‘comprehensive’ framework of operational guidelines, covering holistically from school to higher education institutions.

The framework seeks to institutionalise safeguards and mechanisms to ensure comprehensive protection to students from any threat or assault, be it physical, social, discriminatory, cultural, and linguistic and causing psychological distress leading to self-harming and self-destructive tendencies among students.

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The framework, a statement issued in this regard said, will include the creation of an inclusive, integrative and non-discriminatory environment; sensitization and capacity building programs for faculty members; orientation, counseling and hand-holding mechanisms; early detection mechanisms for immediate intervention; promoting close-knit student faculty interactive communities; incorporating team activities within the curricular exercises; effective and speedy grievance redress mechanism; physical fitness provisions and programmes, emphasis on nutrition; personal involvement and monitoring by the Heads of the Institutions, faculty and parents.

Ministry of Education’s Measures To Ease Academic Stress

Ministry of Education has undertaken various steps from time to time to ease the academic stress. These include peer assisted learning, introduction of technical education in regional languages, manodarpan initiative to provide psychological support to students, guidelines on prevention, detection and remedial measures for mental health related issues, etc.

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Emphasizing various subjects including gender equality, caste sensitivity, academic ease of pressure and robust system of counselling, the meeting focused on students' mental wellness and zero tolerance towards discrimination in educational institutions across the country.

Pradhan has also asked to invite suggestions from all the stakeholders through online medium. He said that the ministry of education is committed to ensuring physical, psychological, and emotional well-being of the students.