CBSE Directs Schools to Prioritize Mental Health, Strengthen Counselling & Adopt SEL Framework

CBSE: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued a notification stating the promotion of ‘Mental Health and Wellness’ and ‘Social Emotional Learning’ in schools.  

In its latest advisory, CBSE stated the proactive steps have to be taken to ensure that students get collective attention and proactive support in today’s educational landscape. The CBSE has directed all teaching and non-teaching staff to undergo mandatory training at least twice a year. 

Key guidelines issued in the Notification:

The CSBE has directed the teaching and non teaching staff to undergo training:

• A certified mental health professional must provide required training on psychological first aid, warning sign identification, response, and referral procedures to all teaching and non-teaching staff at least twice a year. Every member of the teaching, non-teaching, and administrative staff has received sufficient training to interact with students in a non-discriminatory, inclusive, and sensitive way.

• Schools must regularly host programs to raise awareness of students' mental health among parents and guardians. It will make parents and guardians more aware of the need to avoid putting their children under unnecessary academic pressure, to spot the warning signs of psychological distress, and to react in a supportive and sympathetic manner. Curriculum activities and student orientation programs should incorporate additional mental health literacy, emotional regulation, life skills instruction, and knowledge of institutional support services.

• The school is required to keep anonymous records and compile an annual report that details the quantity of training sessions, student referrals, wellness interventions, and mental health-related activities.

• Sports, the arts, and personality development programs are among the extracurricular activities that the school will prioritize. To foster a more comprehensive sense of identity among students that goes beyond test results and rankings, the examination pattern will be reviewed on a regular basis.

• Students and their parents or guardians must receive regular, structured career counseling services from the school. The goal of this session, which will be led by a qualified counselor, is to help students make informed, interest-based career decisions, lessen unreasonable academic pressure, and increase awareness of various academic and professional pathways. Such counseling should not perpetuate limited notions of success or merit and should be inclusive and considerate of the social, economic, and psychological context.

CBSE’s Capacity Building Programmes (CBPs)

The notification has also further directed all the affiliated schools to support the implementation of the Supreme Court’s guidelines. CBSE has also invited schools to nominate teachers and staff for specialized Capacity Building Programmes (CBPs) available at https://cbseit.in/cbse/2022/ET/frmListing. 

Promoting Mental Health and Wellness Among Students

Duration: 1 Day (6 hours)

Domain: III

The program aims to:

 Establish compassionate and encouraging learning environments

Give educators the information, abilities, and legal awareness they need.

Create systems of support for mental health in schools.

Teaching in the classroom should incorporate social and emotional learning (SEL).

Develop actionable plans for SEL implementation

Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

Duration: 1 Day (6 hours)

Domain: III

This training focuses on strengthening students’ emotional regulation, teamwork, empathy, and social skills.

Schools are encouraged to nominate teachers who interact closely with students so that the outcomes of these trainings can be effectively integrated into school practices.

The CBSE has urged all principals and school heads to actively support this initiative. By prioritizing structured mental health support, schools can create an ecosystem where every child is empowered to grow, learn, and flourish—academically, emotionally, and socially.

Check Official Notification Here

Published on: Saturday, February 21, 2026, 01:57 PM IST