Mumbai: The Union Human Resource Development Ministry has issued an advisory on mental health and wellbeing of students in the wake of Covid19. The ministry and UGC have asked the heads of autonomous institutions to set up helplines for mental health, psychological concerns and well-being of students in universities and colleges.
“To address any kind of mental health and psycho-social concerns of the student community during and after Covid-19, University Grant Commission (UGC) has requested all the universities and colleges to take the following measures for the mental health, psycho-social aspects and well-being of the students,’’ the ministry said.
The universities and colleges have been asked to set up helplines for mental health, psychosocial concerns and well-being of students. Those helplines should be regularly monitored and managed by counsellors and other identified faculty members.
They will have to do regular mentoring of students through interactions, and by sending appeals or letters so the students can remain calm and stress-free. Those helplines can be achieved through telephones, emails, digital and social media platforms.
Further, universities and colleges were asked to form Covid-19 help groups of students, headed by hostel wardens or senior faculty who can identify friends or classmates needing help and provide needed help quickly.
