Stories
IITs Plan Dedicated Mental Health Cadre to Ensure Student and Faculty Well-being
- •Indian Institutes of Technology are considering creating a dedicated cadre of mental health professionals to ensure the psychological well-being of students and faculty members.
- •Directors clarified that the initiative has been deliberated upon for at least two years and is not a direct fallout of recent student suicides.
- •The proposal involves creating sanctioned posts for counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists with earmarked funding and promotional avenues according to Rehabilitation Council of India guidelines.
- •A National Task Force appointed by the Supreme Court previously reported that 90 percent of faculty members across IITs lacked proper training to support students with sensitive mental health concerns.
- •Various IITs have introduced preventive measures such as comprehensive mental health policies, evening power blackouts to encourage social interaction, and peer-support campaigns.
Key Questions Answered
IITs are considering creating a dedicated cadre of mental health professionals to ensure the psychological well-being of students, faculty, and staff. This initiative aims to establish specific sanctioned posts, including counsellors, psychologists, and psychiatrists, ensuring sustainable and long-term support across all campuses.
A National Task Force appointed by the Supreme Court flagged that faculty members across IITs felt ill-equipped to handle mental health issues. The panel reported that 90 percent of faculty lacked proper training to support students dealing with sensitive psychological concerns, with very few institutions providing formal mentorship training.
Various IITs have introduced distinct campus initiatives, such as IIT Kharagpur enforcing evening power blackouts to encourage social interaction and IIT Guwahati launching the 'Know Your Neighbour' campaign to prevent isolation. Additionally, IIT Roorkee initiated a comprehensive mental health policy, while institutions like IIT Bombay and IIT Kanpur have focused on structural safety adjustments and peer-support groups.
