Mental health and resilience in higher education institutions as a mission

Union Secretary Higher Education K Sanjay Murthy at the First National Wellbeing Conclave at IITH in Sangareddy district on Saturday (November 09).
| Photo Credit: MOHD ARIF

Making students and faculty members as ambassadors of happiness and strength and prioritising mental health and resilience in higher education institutions (HEIs) in the country as a mission, the first National Wellbeing Conclave (NWC) kicked off at IIT-Hyderabad, here on Saturday.

Being held under the aegis of the Ministry of Education (MoE), the conclave aims at fostering healthy and harmonious environment in HEIs with the goal of reducing suicide rates and enhancing student and faculty wellbeing. The two-day conclave features discussions about best practices on wellbeing in campuses with participation of nearly 100 centrally-funded institutions. The NWC also aligns with the Economic Survey 2023-24 which highlights the need for mental health programmes within educational institutions.

According to Secretary (MoE) K. Sanjay Murthy, who also released a compendium of ‘best practices on wellbeing’, NWC is for promoting awareness and collaboration among institutions across the country. The essential foundation, through deliberations on mental health and resilience initiatives, is for spreading effective practices across the country and for future initiatives.

Participants at First National Wellbeing Conclave at IITH in Sangareddy district on Saturday (November 09).
| Photo Credit:
MOHD ARIF

He appreciated initiatives such as IITH’s Team Sunshine, the counselling cell, and Expressions India, the National Life Skills, School & Community Mental Health & Wellbeing Program.

For Chief Economic Advisor V. Anantha Nageswaran, who spoke to the diverse participants at the event, “the parameter of success is a test between how you balance the academic pressure and mental wellbeing.”

According to Director (IITH) B.S. Murty, the Insititute promotes the right brain activities to maintain a balanced mind. “We live in a fast-paced world filled with constant stimuli that significantly impact us emotionally, physically and psychologically, often leading to stress. This makes promoting mental health, resilience, and overall wellbeing more essential than ever. Students need to learn that failure is a natural part of growth — it’s okay to fail, as each failure being valuable lessons,” he said.

Joint Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Rina Sonowal Kouli, Program Director (Expressions India) Jitendra Nagpal, psychiatry experts and counsellors, faculty members and students from various participating institutions were present.