HRD minister launches initiative to give psychosocial support to students

Union HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ on Tuesday launched an initiative—called “Manodarpan”—to provide psychological support to students for their mental well-being. A national toll-free helpline number (8448440632), a special ‘Manodarpan’ webpage (manodarpan.mhrd. gov.in) on the HRD Ministry’s web portal, and a handbook were also launched as a part of the initiative. This helpline will be managed by a group of experienced counsellors, psychologists and other mental health professionals. Tele-counselling will be also provided to the students to address their mental health and psychosocial issues.

Nishank mentioned during challenging times like these, when the entire world has been suffering from a pandemic, children and adolescents have become more vulnerable to psycho-social stress. These emerging mental health concerns are often reported in such situations along with heightened levels of stress, anxiety, fearfulness and a range of other emotional and behavioural issues. Thus, the HRD Ministry felt the importance of focusing on the mental well-being of students apart from continuing education on the academic front. Hence, the ministry took the ‘Manodarpan’ initiative to provide psychosocial support to students for their mental health and well-being during the Covid outbreak and beyond. The HRD Ministry also mentioned that this initiative was included under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ to strengthen human capital, increase productivity, effective reforms and initiatives for the education sector.

The new initiative for children’s mental wellbeing includes components like advisory guidelines for students, teachers, faculty and families; web page on the MHRD website which will carry advisory, practical tips, posters, videos, do’s and don’ts for psychosocial support, FAQs and online query system; national level database and directory of counsellors at school and university level whose services can be offered voluntarily for tele-counselling service on the national helpline; a handbook on psychosocial support to enrich life skills and wellbeing of students. This booklet will include FAQs, facts and myths and will also cover ways and means to manage emotional and behavioural concerns (from young children to college youth) during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Apart from these, online chat platform for contact, counselling and guidance by psychologists and other mental health professionals will also be available for students, teachers, and families along with webinars, audio-visual resources including videos, posters, flyers, comics, and short films. Crowd sourcing from students across the country will be encouraged as peer support.