‘Manodarpan’ to focus on students’ mental health: MHRD

Union Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’on Tuesday launched the 'Manodarpan' initiative of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) to provide psychosocial support to students for their mental health and well-being in New Delhi.

As part of 'Manodarpan' initiative, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launched a National Toll-free Helpline (8448440632), an exclusive web page of MANODARPAN on the portal of HRD Ministry, and a handbook.

The following components are included in the MANODARPAN initiative:

• Advisory Guidelines for students, teachers, and faculty of School systems and Universities along with families.
• Web page on the MHRD website, which will carry advisory, practical tips, posters, videos, do's and donts 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.
• National Toll-free Helpline by the MHRD for a countrywide outreach to students from schools, universities, and colleges. This unique helpline shall be manned by a pool of experienced counselors/ Psychologists and other mental health professionals and will continue beyond the COVID-19 situation.
• Handbook on Psychosocial Support: Enriching Lifeskills & Wellbeing of Students’ to be published online. The booklet will include FAQs, Facts & 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.
• Interactive Online Chat Platform for contact, counselling and guidance by psychologists and other mental health professionals which will be available for students, teachers, and families during COVID-19 and beyond.
• Webinars, audio-visual resources including videos, posters, flyers, comics, and short films to be uploaded as additional resource materials on the webpage. Crowd sourcing from students all over the country will be encouraged as peer support.

The union minister said, "COVID-19 is understandably a challenging time for everyone around the world. This Global pandemic is not only a serious medical concern but also brings mixed emotions and psycho-social stress for all".

Pokhriyal informed, "The HRD Ministry has felt that while it is important to focus on continuing education on the academic front, the mental well-being of the students also needs to be given equal importance," adding, "the initiative has been included in the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan as part of strengthening and empowering the human capital to increase productivity and efficiency through reforms and initiatives in the education sector".