Students Unsatisfied With Physical Appearances, Struggle In Personal, School Life: NCERT Report

A decline is observed in student’s responses about their physical appearance, satisfaction with personal and school life, and availability of people to share their feelings and experience of happiness, as they move from middle to secondary stage, as per the findings of Mental Health Survey conducted by Ministry of Education with the help of National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). 

A total of 3,79,842 students of classes 6 to 12 from different schools across the country participated in the survey. The Survey Report was released by the Ministry of Education on 06th September, 2022. 

The survey was undertaken to explore the perception of students with regard to their mental health. The items of the survey gave an opportunity to the students to reflect and introspect their feelings and emotions on aspects that positively or negatively influence their perceptions of well-being. 

However, majority of students expressed feeling responsible for doing well in their life, are satisfied with school life, are trustworthy, do not hesitate in seeking social support.

Happiness was the most common emotion/feeling reported by both boys and girls. Students also reported frequent mood swings, feeling anxious about studies, examinations, and results which increased from middle to secondary stage and were reported more by girls in comparison to boys. Coping strategies adopted by students reveal their preference for yoga and meditation, changing the way they think, writing journals, and self-reflection.

The Ministry of Education under its initiative, ‘Manodarpan’, has covering a wide range of activities to provide psychosocial support to students, teachers and families for Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing during the Covid outbreak and beyond, statemen. 

A Working Group has been set up to monitor and promote the mental health issues and concerns of students during and after Covid 19 lockdown along with counselling services, online resources and helpline. 

NCERT has been engaged in strengthening the capacity of teachers and counsellors to extend the support to the students for their emotional and mental well-being with offering the Diploma Course in Guidance and Counselling (DCGC) with teacher counsellor.

Modular Handbook on Early Identification and Intervention for Mental Health Problems in School Going Children has been developed in collaboration with Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) which contains guidelines for early identification, detection and intervention of mental health problems (stress/illness) in school- going children, for hands-on training of teachers, counsellors and other stakeholders. 

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) provides pre and post examination tele-counselling facilities through centralized toll-free helpline. The Board has published material on how to be stress free. Audio-visual presentations on issues affecting mental health during this crisis were made available on official YouTube and Facebook handles of CBSE. CBSE has launched mental well-being app 'Dost for Life', to provide free counselling sessions by principals and counselors.