Parliament Question: National survey on bullying and cyberbullying among school children

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-535 ANSWERED ON-04.02.2026 National survey on bullying and cyberbullying among school children 535 Smt. Sudha Murty: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) whether Government is aware of concerns regarding the increasing prevalence of bullying and cyberbullying among school children and their potential short-term and long-term impact on mental health, educational outcomes and social behaviour; and (b) whether Government proposes to undertake a comprehensive national-level survey to assess the prevalence, causes and psychological, social and behavioural impacts of bullying and cyberbullying among students, in order to inform evidence-based policy interventions and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY) (a) & (b) Education is a subject in the concurrent list of the Constitution, with majority of schools falling under the administrative control and supervision of the respective State Government/UT administration. The Ministry of Education, on its part, is guided by the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 which emphasises the need to create awareness about mental health issues, reduce academic stress, promote joyful learning and increase community engagement for optimal learning outcomes. To this end, the Department of School Education & Literacy in the Ministry of Education conducts studies from time to time focussing on various aspects of schooling including safety and mental well-being of students. The Mental Health and Well-being of School Students, A Survey, 2022 was conducted by the Manodarpan Cell in NCERT between January-March, 2022 on 3,79,842 students from 36 States/UTs. One of the largest of its kind in the country, the survey explored the perception of students from classes 6 to 12 on aspects related to their mental health and well-being. Key findings of the report which highlight academic pressure, poor body image and pressure to comply with peers among students are available at www.manodarpan.education.gov.in/assets/downloads/Mental_Health_WSS_A_Survey.pdf. The PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024 (formerly National Achievement Survey) conducted by the National Assessment Centre- PARAKH, NCERT, in Dec 2024 to assess learning outcomes of more than 21 lakh students across 36 States/UTs of India also provides important insights into contextual variables affecting performance such as school environment, student safety and behaviour of peers. National, State and District level reports from PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, are available at https://dashboard.parakh.ncert.gov.in/en, adedicated dashboard designed to disseminate the findings of the assessment cum survey among States and UTs for designing targeted interventions. As per PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, 96% of schools report having student behaviour and protection policies in place whereas 70% report having anti-bullying policies. The survey findings are actively taken up with States and UTs for strengthening anti-bullying measures, fostering peer inclusivity, and implementing key protection policies, among other measures, which can significantly enhance the overall learning experience. Being sensitive to past and recent findings on the incidence of mental distress, this Department has taken a number of steps to improve mental and emotional well-being in the schooling ecosystem. To provide comprehensive psychosocial support to students, families and teachers across the country including underserved areas, a toll-free national tele-helpline No. 844-844-0632 was launched as a part of the Manodarpan initiative under Atma Nirbhar Bharat package in July 2021. Till 31.01.2026, guidance through trained counsellors have been extended to approximately 3,20,576 calls received from various callers mostly students. Manodarpan also provides Directory of more than 350 counsellors working at both school and college/university level on https://manodarpan.education.gov.in as a resource for students. To bridge the digital divide, live interactive sessions with practicing counsellors- Sahyog. and panel discussions on relevant mental health issues faced by students-Paricharcha- are telecast regularly on the PM e-Vidya channels as a part of the Manodarpan initiative. The themes of these discussion focus upon various stressors among students including peer pressure, bullying, cyberbullying, digital and substance addiction. Total 1,465 ‘Sahyog’ sessions and 253 ‘Paricharcha’ sessions have been telecast till 31.01.2026. NCERT has developed several resources such as handbooks, guides, activity books and advocacy material to augment capacity of teachers and school administrators for early identification and intervention with a focus on risk factors such as bullying or cyber bullying. The handbook titled “Early Identification and Intervention for Mental Health Concerns in School Going Children and Adolescents (2024 ,”)available in the public domain at https://manodarpan.education.gov.in, draws from research on various mental health issues and delves into the probable causes and potential impact of aggression and bullying among adolescence. It equips teachers and allied stakeholders with the skills required to identify early warning signs in students facing bullying as also those with a tendency to bully, so as to build sensitivity among all stakeholders for early intervention. NCERT also organises various national summits and capacity building programmes for training teachers as guidance functionary and to equip counsellors and practitioners for implementing the ‘Whole School Approach ’to facilitate mental and emotional well-being of students .With a view to augment the availability of trained counsellors, more than 250 in-service school teachers, teacher educators, school administrators as well as untrained guidance personnel are trained annually through a Diploma Course in Guidance and Counselling offered by the Department of Education Psychology and Foundations of Education (DEPFE), NCERT. Further, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), under the aegis of this Department, has introduced comprehensive regulatory framework and architecture to ensure that schools affiliated to the Board remain a safe and welcoming space for children, as envisaged under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Key features of the framework are as follows:I. Affiliation Bye Laws-2018 of the Board stipulate that “Every Secondary and Senior Secondary school shall appoint a person on full time basis for performing the duties of Counsellor & Wellness Teacher”. II. The Board vide Circular No .Acad-.17/2015 dated 09.03.2015 has issued detailed guidelines for prevention of Bullying and Ragging in Board’s affiliated schools. [https://cbseacademic.nic.in/web_material/Circulars/2015/17_Prevention%20of%20 Bullying%20&%20Ragging%20in%20Schools.pdf] III. The Board, vide Circular No.CBSE/AFF/SCHOOL SAFETY/19 dated 12.09.2017 has also issued detailed guidelines to its affiliated school for ensuring physical safety, mental & emotional health of children in the schools. [https://www.cbse.gov.in/cbsenew/Examination_Circular/2017/16_CIRCULAR.pdf ] IV. The Board, vide Circular No .Aff-.24/2023 dated 01.09.2023, has further issued guidelines to augment safety arrangements for mental and emotional well-being of students in affiliated schools. [https://saras.cbse.gov.in/saras/Circulars/Circular24_2023638291895542842523.pd f] Besides the above, the apex body for promoting and protecting child rights viz; the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has also developed and circulated Guidelines for Schools on Preventing Bullying and Cyber Bullying and Manual on Safety and Security of Children in Schools which are available at NCPCR website. These resources provide detailed information on cyber bullying, their reporting and strategies for prevention in schools, at home and at cyberspaces. It also includes Do’s and Don’ts for school teachers and management as well as recommendations for teachers and caregivers. *****