NEW DELHI: Education Minister Ashish Sood reviewed the government’s proposed Mental Well-being Policy, which aims to place the emotional and psychological well-being of children at the centre of its education vision. The policy seeks to move beyond the stigma surrounding mental health and encourage open conversations about emotional well-being. It will be formally launched on November 19.
The proposed framework will cover CM SHRI schools, government and government-aided schools, private educational institutions, higher education institutions and children with special needs. It also aims to extend support to young people up to 25 years of age, including those outside the formal education system.
The policy is being developed to ensure that responsibility for children’s well-being extends beyond the classroom to the entire school environment. During the review, Sood examined provisions for psychometric assessments of staff working with children, including teaching, non-teaching and transport personnel. Dedicated handbooks containing structured questions, practical exercises and activities have also been developed to promote emotional awareness.
“We must look at education beyond classrooms, textbooks and examination results. Every child deserves an environment where they feel safe, heard and understood. Mental well-being should not be a conversation that begins only when a child is facing a crisis.
We want to build a culture where speaking about one’s emotions and seeking support is natural, without hesitation or stigma. Our responsibility is to prepare children not just for examinations but for life,” the minister said.
The policy’s development has began after a student from a school in Lutyens’ Delhi died by suicide in November last year.