'Cyberbullying has become extremely worrisome now, with several complaints being received from schools.'
The ministry of education is working on a mental health policy for school students that will focus on strengthening school-based mental health support systems, improving communication between schools and parents, and addressing emerging concerns such as cyberbullying and cybercrime involving minors.
Key Points
- Ministry of education is finalising a national mental health policy focused on school-based student support systems.
- The proposed framework will address cyberbullying, online harassment, early intervention mechanisms, and school-parent communication gaps.
- Supreme Court directions mandate counsellor access for schools with enrolment exceeding 100 students across the country.
- India currently lacks a uniform counselling framework, with mental health support varying significantly across states and institutions.
- Officials estimate over 500,000 schools require improved counselling infrastructure and clearer mental health response responsibilities.
School Mental Health Framework
According to officials aware of the matter, the draft policy is in the final stages of preparation and is likely to be placed in the public domain for consultation in the first week of June.
"We are almost in the last stage, and we will be putting it in the public domain very shortly," said a senior official, adding that the framework is being developed in consultation with states.
At present, India does not have a dedicated mental health support policy across the school system.
The National Education Policy 2020 highlights the importance of mental health alongside children's nutrition and overall well-being.
Cyberbullying Concerns Rise
The move comes amid growing concern over student mental health challenges, including stress-related issues and rising cases of cyberbullying and online harassment.
"Cyberbullying has become extremely worrisome now, with several complaints being received from schools," the official said.
A key element of the proposed policy is the emphasis on early identification and intervention within schools.
Cybercrime cases in India rose sharply in 2024, with a total of 101,928 cases registered, marking a 17.9 per cent increase over 2023, when 86,420 cases were recorded, according to the latest data from the National Crime Records Bureau.
The crime rate under this category also climbed to 7.3 in 2024 from 6.2 in 2023.
Counsellor Access In Schools
At present, India lacks a uniform school-level counselling framework, with support systems varying widely across states and institutions.
Several states, including Karnataka and Rajasthan, have introduced policy directives mandating counsellors, child protection mechanisms, and school-based mental health support systems.
Supreme Court Mental Health Order
A dedicated policy would also follow a July 2025 Supreme Court order directing that all schools with more than 100 students should have access to a counsellor.
Officials observed that the policy would adhere to the observations made by the Supreme Court, under which every school with more than 100 students should have access to a counsellor.
Officials added that, based on internal assessments, there are over 500,000 schools in the country with enrolment above 100 students.
Student Counselling Infrastructure Gap
More than 400,000 schools have a designated teacher acting as the first line of communication for such concerns, while the availability of trained counsellors remains uneven.
The proposed policy is expected to address this gap by strengthening counselling infrastructure and defining clearer roles for school personnel in identifying and responding to mental health issues among students.
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff
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