MADURAI: A mobile counselling van scheme launched by the School Education Department in 2013 to support students’ mental health and address issues such as stress, behavioural problems, and sexual harassment has remained defunct for nearly six years, with the vehicles lying idle at the Chief Educational Officer (CEO) offices across Tamil Nadu in ten different zones. Psychologists and mental health experts have now urged the newly elected TVK government to revive the initiative.
Launched in October 2013, each van was equipped with educational aids and staffed by a qualified psychologist who conducted counselling sessions for students of Classes IX to XII.
The programme was widely appreciated during its implementation, as many adolescents who were reluctant to share their personal issues with parents or teachers found it easier to approach psychologists. Besides individual counselling, psychologists also conducted awareness sessions on common issues affecting teenagers.
However, the scheme was temporarily suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic. Following a change in government, it was not revived, with officials citing the implementation of the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) as the reason.
Speaking to TNIE, N Rahaman Khan, a psychologist who worked under the scheme in Thanjavur, recalled that he regularly conducted special lectures on issues commonly faced by adolescents and encouraged students to seek help whenever needed.
“I used to share my contact number with students. If any child had mental health concerns, I would counsel them personally. We submitted several representations to the previous DMK government seeking revival of the scheme, but nothing materialised,” he said.
Tamil Nadu Psychology Association president K Balamurugan said most private schools, including CBSE and ICSE institutions, have psychologists to support students, while government schools continue to lack dedicated mental health professionals.
“The government should appoint at least one psychologist at the district or taluk level to address students’ mental health concerns,” he said.
He also pointed out that the Madras High Court, in an order dated June 29, 2016, had observed that appointing a psychologist in every school may not be feasible, but recommended introducing psychology as a subject in educational institutions. He alleged that the recommendation has not yet been implemented.
When contacted by TNIE, Chief Educational Officer S. Thayalan said a proposal seeking the appointment of psychologists and drivers to revive the scheme has already been forwarded. “The government has to make a decision on the proposal,” he said. Director of School Education S Kannappan told TNIE that he would look into the matter.
TEN EDUCATIONAL ZONES IN TAMIL NADU: The scheme covered 10 educational zones — Madurai, Coimbatore, Chennai, Tiruchy, Tirunelveli, Vellore, Salem, Erode, Cuddalore, and Pudukkottai. Each zone had one mobile counselling van and one psychologist, who was paid a consolidated monthly salary of Rs 25,000