The University Grants Commission (UGC) has prepared draft guidelines mandating the creation of dedicated cells in colleges and universities having mental health counselors to help students tackle academic and peer pressure, stress, and depression.
“The main objective of these guidelines is to promote physical fitness and sports activities among students, inculcate a positive attitude and develop a supportive network of students. These are essential to strengthen the mental well-being of students to safeguard themselves against different kinds of stress, pressure, and behavior issues they face", said UGC chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar.
According to the guidelines, colleges should maintain separate records of students who are more vulnerable to stress or stress-prone. The institutes must focus on “Promotion of Physical Fitness, Sports, Students’ Health, Welfare, Psychological and Emotional Well Being”.
The institutions under these guidelines are advised to take help from psychological counselors to handle the changing behavior of students. The counselors must be more efficient in linguistic skills so it comforts the child. The guidelines also marked that special care must be taken for LGBTQ students.
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“Every higher educational institution shall have a Students Services Centre (SSC) responsible for dealing with and managing the problems related to stress and emotional adjustment. It shall have the standardized, systematic arrangements within the relevant provision of Ordinances to provide requisite support to students, especially from rural backgrounds, female students, students from divergent cultural backgrounds, and students with special needs,” the guidelines read.
