**Executive Summary**
This document presents the government's response to a parliamentary question regarding student mental health in India, to be answered on December 12, 2025. It highlights the initiatives undertaken to address the issue, including the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) and the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP). The response provides data on program reach and activities implemented under these initiatives.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Student Suicide Statistics:**
* Student suicides account for approximately 7.6% of total suicides in India in 2022, according to the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB).
* **National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) and District Mental Health Programme (DMHP):**
* The Government of India is implementing the NMHP to address mental disorders.
* DMHP has been sanctioned for implementation in 716, 743, and 767 districts in the last three years, respectively.
* Facilities are available under DMHP at the Community Health Centre (CHC) and Primary Health Centre (PHC) levels.
* A 10-bedded in-patient facility at the District level is provisioned.
* **Targeted Interventions under DMHP for School and College Students:**
* Life skills education & counselling in schools: training 100 teachers as Master trainers from each block having 25-30 schools.
* College counselling services: training of college teachers to work as counsellors.
* Counselling of Out of school children having mental health problems/Adolescent mental health program.
* Suicide prevention services Workplace Stress Management Programs
* **DMHP Reach:**
* 65,278 students received counselling services through 5111 sessions in schools and colleges in FY 2025-26 (till 30.09.2025) under the DMHP's targeted interventions.
* **Strengthening Mental Healthcare at Primary Level:**
* Over 1.81 lakh Sub Health Centres (SHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) have been upgraded to Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.
* Mental health services are included in Comprehensive Primary Health Care at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.
* Operational guidelines and training manuals for MNS disorders have been released under Ayushman Bharat.
* **Other Initiatives:**
* "Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health" module incorporated under Ayushman Bharat School Health & Wellness Programme.
* Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) promotes mental health awareness through various interventions.
* Ministry of Education (MoE) launched Manodarpan for psychosocial support to students, families, and teachers.
* UGC issued Guidelines for promotion of physical fitness and sports activities.
* "National Tele Mental Health Programme" launched to improve access to mental health counselling. As of 27.11.2025, 36 States/ UTs have set up 53 Tele MANAS Cells and have started tele mental health services. More than 29,82,000 calls have been handled on the helpline number.
* Tele MANAS Mobile Application launched on October 10, 2024 and video consultation facility under Tele-MANAS.
**Impact Analysis**
**Students, Teachers and Families**
* **Impact:** Increased access to mental health counselling and support services, including psychosocial support, counselling programs in schools and colleges, and tele-mental health services.
* **Action Required:** Utilize available resources and participate in programs designed to promote mental health and well-being.
**Healthcare Providers and Staff at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, CHCs and PHCs**
* **Impact:** Expansion of responsibilities to include mental health services as part of primary healthcare.
* **Action Required:** Implement mental health service packages, follow operational guidelines, and utilize training manuals for MNS disorders.
**Government (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Education, UGC)**
* **Impact:** Responsibility for implementing and overseeing various mental health programs and initiatives.
* **Action Required:** Continue to expand and strengthen mental healthcare services, monitor program effectiveness, and adapt strategies based on feedback and data.
**States/UTs**
* **Impact:** Responsibility to implement and support the DMHP.
* **Action Required:** utilize support and resources provided to them.
Key Entities Referenced
National Mental Health Programme (NMHP): A program implemented by the Government of India to address mental disorders.
District Mental Health Programme (DMHP): A component of the NMHP focused on providing mental health services at the district level.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The primary government ministry responsible for the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) and related initiatives.
Tele MANAS: A national tele-mental health program providing counseling and care services.
Manodarpan: An initiative by the Ministry of Education to provide psychosocial support to students, families, and teachers.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 2144
TOBE ANSWERED ON12TH DECEMBER, 2025
MENTALHEALTH OFSTUDENTS
2144. SHRIESWARASAMYK:
Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a) whether the Government is aware that student suicides account for around 7.6% of total
suicides in the country indicating a serious youth mental health concern and if so, the details
thereof;
(b) the number of districts have been covered under the District Mental Health Programme
(DMHP) during the last three years, year-wise;
(c) the number of schools/colleges that have implemented active student mental health
programmes/components, State/UT-wise andyear-wise;
(d) the number of student beneficiaries reached under DMHP, including counselling sessions,
referrals, andresource allocation for student mentalhealth;and
(e) whether any review or audit of DMHP’s impact on reducing student suicides has been
conductedandif so, the findings andthe implementationtimeframe?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND
FAMILYWELFARE
(SH.PRATAPRAOJADHAV)
(a) As per the information received from National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), the students
suicides accountfor around7.6% of total suicides inthe countryfor the year2022.
(b) To address the burden of mental disorders, the Government of India is implementing the
National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) in the country. The District Mental Health
Programme (DMHP) component of the NMHP has been sanctioned for implementation in 716,
743 and 767 districts during the last three years for which support is provided to States/UTsthrough the National Health Mission. Facilities made available under DMHP at the Community
Health Centre(CHC) and Primary Health Centre(PHC) levelsfor all includingelderly, inter- alia,
include outpatientservices, assessment, counselling/ psycho-social interventions, continuingcare
and support to persons with severe mental disorders, drugs, outreach services, ambulance
services etc. In addition to above services there is a provision of 10 bedded in-patient facility at
the District level.
(c) to (e) Under DMHP, targeted interventions are conducted for school and college students.
Under Targeted interventions, the following activities are carried out in the districts across the
country:
i. Life skills education & counselling in schools - 100 teachers to be trained as Master
trainers from eachblockhaving25-30 schools.
ii. College counselling services - trainingof collegeteachers towork asascounsellors.
iii. Counselling of Out of school children having mental health problems/ Adolescent
mental healthprogram
iv. Suicide preventionservices WorkplaceStressManagement Programs
As part of targeted interventions done for the students under DMHP in FY 2025-26, the
counselling services were provided to 65278 students through 5111 counselling sessions
conductedinschools andcolleges inthe FY2025-26 (till 30.09.2025).
The Government is also taking steps to strengthen mental healthcare services at primary
healthcare level. The Government has upgradedmore than 1.81 lakh Sub HealthCentres (SHCs)
and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Mental health services have
been added in the packages of services under Comprehensive Primary Health Care provided at
these Ayushman ArogyaMandirs. Operational guidelinesandtrainingmanualsfor variouscadres
on Mental, Neurological, and Substance Use Disorders (MNS) at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs
have beenreleasedunderthe ambitof AyushmanBharat.
“Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health” is incorporated as a dedicated module under
Ayushman Bharat School Health & Wellness Programme. Health and Wellness Ambassadors
(Teachers) are trained on mental health along with other thematic areas of the programme, take
interactive sessions with the students and percolate the messages through weekly sessions
promotingjoyfullearning.
The Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
through its interventions viz. Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHC), Peer Education
Programme and Adolescent Health and Wellness Days (AH&WD) creates awareness on mental
health issues and provides counselling services. Peer Educators form groups of 15-20 boys and
girls in the community and conduct weekly one to two hour participatory sessions on adolescent
healthincludingmentalhealthandwellbeing.Ministry of Education (MoE), has launched an initiative, Manodarpan, with the aim to provide
psychosocial support to students, their familiesand teachers across the country, for mental health
and well-being . All activities undertaken under the Manodarpan initiative are aimed towards
supporting the metal health and well-being of students from schools, colleges and universities,
includingthosestudents whoarepreparingforcompetitiveexaminations.
University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued Guidelines for Promotion of Physical Fitness,
Sports, Student’sHealth, Welfare,Psychological and EmotionalWell- beingat Higher Education
Institutions (HEIs) on 13.04.2023, which provides for promotion of physical fitness and sports
activitiesforstudents; creationof safeguardsagainst academicpressure, peerpressure, behavioral
issues, stress, career concerns, depression and other issues on the mental health of students; to
teach positive thinking and emotions in the student community; and to promote a positive and
supportive networkforstudents.
Besides the above,the Government haslauncheda “National TeleMental HealthProgramme” on
10th October, 2022, to further improve access to quality mental health counselling and care
services in the country. As on27.11.2025, 36 States/ UTs have set up 53 Tele MANAS Cells and
have started tele mental health services. More than 29,82,000 calls have been handled on the
helpline number.
The Government has also launched Tele MANAS Mobile Application on the occasion of World
Mental Health Day - October 10, 2024. Tele-MANAS Mobile Application is a comprehensive
mobile platform thathasbeendevelopedtoprovidesupport formentalhealthissuesrangingfrom
well being tomentaldisorders. The Government hasalso launched the videoconsultation facility
underTele-MANAS,asanotherupgrade tothe alreadyexisting audiocallingfacility.
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