UGC Proposes Mandatory Mental Health Centres and Training in Higher Education Institutions

Following a Supreme Court directive addressing rising student suicides, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has proposed draft guidelines mandating all higher education institutions to establish dedicated mental health and well-being centres and monitoring committees. The guidelines require appointing mental health professionals at a ratio of one per 100 students and operating 24x7 helplines. Concurrently, state governments are developing training modules to equip educators as master trainers to identify and respond to student mental health issues, aiming to create structured support systems across campuses.