UGC issues guidelines for promoting physical, mental, emotional health of college students

NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued the ‘Guidelines for promotion of physical fitness, sports, students' health, welfare, psychological and emotional well-being at higher educational institutions of India’. The commission has asked the colleges and universities to implement the guidelines “in letter and spirit”.

The UGC guidelines read, “To comprehensively examine all issues relating to students' mental health and physical, psychological, and emotional well-being on the campuses of higher education institutions and frame the appropriate guidelines, the Commission constituted an Expert Committee. The Committee has suggested the following Guidelines, which are to be implemented by all HEIs under the purview of UGC.”

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The commission said that it has already issued guidelines for physical safety of students, like fortifying the campuses, hostels, playgrounds, cafeteria, library, and other student activity spaces.

UGC guidelines

• A vibrant campus life for students. “It may come through opportunities related to academic and co-curricular activities besides having linkages with society and ecology through field training, job placement activities, educational tours, and summer internships.”
• Every college, university should have a Students Services Centre (SSC) responsible for dealing with and managing the problems related to stress and emotional adjustment.
• Universities must focus on physical activity for all students to help them stay physically fit and mentally healthy.
• Physical activity programmes and provisions
• Opportunity for students to reform. “The HEIs need to avoid such punitive measures to the extent possible and take affirmative action through programs, including taking the services of professional psychological counselors and promoting wellness through yoga and meditation.”
• Structured reform or self-development programmes may be initiated by the universities, which can serve as catalysts for inducing behavioral change, teaching values, and nurturing human strengths.
• Colleges, universities should plan for agreements with institutions like NIMHANS, HBAS, RINPAS, AIIMS, and other institutions where departments of psychiatry are fully functional.
• Colleges, universities should start special courses to prepare mental health professionals to be responsible for educating and training professionals.