VIJAYAWADA: The State government has become the first in India to introduce Career and mental Health Counsellors in government schools. Under the School Education Department and Samagra Shiksha, 255 dedicated counsellors have been appointed across the state in collaboration with EdCIL (Educational Consultants India Limited).
The initiative aims to provide essential mental health support and career guidance to students, addressing a critical gap in the education system.
With increasing academic pressure and societal expectations, students today face immense stress. Even minor setbacks often push them into distress, sometimes leading to tragic outcomes. Recognising the urgent need for intervention, the government has taken this step to ensure that students receive guidance and support.
Speaking to TNIE, B Srinivasa Rao, the State project director of Samagra Shiksha in the State, explained the initiative’s significance, “Our goal is to empower students with emotional resilience and equip them with essential life skills. By integrating mental health support into the education system, we are creating a foundation for a healthier and more confident generation.”
District-level counsellors will work with secondary and higher secondary schools, providing individual and group counselling. They will address stress, depression, and suicidal tendencies while offering career guidance through psychometric assessments. They will conduct workshops and awareness sessions for students, teachers, and parents to promote mental well-being.
To ensure effective implementation, counsellors underwent specialised training at the YES-J Excellence Centre, Andhra Loyola College, Vijayawada, from January 20-23, 2025. Experts from NIMHANS, including Dr E Aravind Raj and B Ashok Kumar, led sessions featuring role-playing, mock counselling, and creative exercises. Counsellors learned innovative techniques to assess and support students’ mental health.
Each district will have two counsellors visiting schools to provide support, and track student behaiviour and repor to the District Coordinator of the Programme Monitoring Unit to ensure structured guidance.
P Meenakshi, District Career Mental Health Counsellor, Nellore, told TNIE that during visits to four government schools across eight mandals, she observed alarming behaviour of student, including addiction to cigarettes, alcohol, and others.
She noted that adolescent girls were increasingly influenced by Instagram, leading to relationships and even lesbianism, while male students lacked respect for teachers and were addicted to mobile chatting and social media browsing during class. “We started counselling each individual and observed positive results,” she said.