Indian schools are good at measuring progress: Marks are recorded, attendance is tracked, and performance is reviewed at regular intervals. A report card, however, only shows how a student is doing in class and cannot show how that student is doing mentally and emotionally. A child can keep meeting academic expectations while struggling in ways the school never sees.
Some of what goes unseen shows up in the data. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, 14,488 students died by suicide in India in 2024. In the age group of 14-18, our suicide rates are nearly twice the global rate. Data from the National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS) indicates that roughly 23% of Indian school children experience mental health issues, with anxiety, depression, and behavioral problems being most prevalent. Behind these figures are students getting through ordinary days with pressures that the adults around them may not notice. The major factors responsible for this are academic stress, parental expectations, unhealthy use of digital technology, and a vast shortage of mental health professionals. ap exceeding 70
With 24.69 crore children enrolled in 2024–25, India has a point of contact with them on a scale few institutions can match, and policy has started to reflect that responsibility. The National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023 place the holistic development of children and their well-being at the centre of education.
{{/usCountry}}With 24.69 crore children enrolled in 2024–25, India has a point of contact with them on a scale few institutions can match, and policy has started to reflect that responsibility. The National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023 place the holistic development of children and their well-being at the centre of education.
{{/usCountry}}What counts now is how we can prevent these mental issues and what happens when a student asks for help. A school can hold an assembly, display helpline numbers, and encourage students to speak openly. But we have not taught the students the skills to handle stress. If the student does reach out, the teacher or counsellor must know how to handle the disclosure, and the school needs a clear process for assessing the concern. Without these steps, all the burden falls on the child and gives no assurance that help will follow.
So, student mental health has to become part of how a school runs every day. Children need to know where to turn when they are struggling. Schools need clear processes to recognise concerns, respond properly and connect students with support.
That system can be built in four parts.
First, emotional skills should be taught in the class, not saved for an annual event. Students need an age-appropriate curriculum that teaches them the skills to understand their feelings, handle everyday stress, manage relationships, use digital technology in a healthy manner, and recognise when they need help.
Second, teachers need training and practical preparation. They are often the first to notice a change in a student's behaviour. They should not be expected to diagnose conditions, but they do need to know how to listen without dismissing a concern, spot warning signs, and refer students appropriately. The ministry of education's UMMEED guidelines propose a school wellness team, led by the principal, to coordinate this.
Third, every school needs a clear route from concern to care. Who responds when a student discloses distress? When should a qualified professional step in? Where can the school refer a student, and who checks that support was actually reached? Recording a referral is not the same as making sure the student receives care. CBSE's 2026 rules require one socio-emotional counsellor for every 500 students in Classes 9 to 12, which is a first step. The real test is whether students can use that support and reach specialist care when they need it.
Finally, schools should measure more than mental health activities. A mental health day with posters and training sessions shows what was organised, but it does not show if students have developed the appropriate skills, know where to seek help, how well staff respond, or how many referrals end in care. Tracking those outcomes, with safeguards for students' privacy, would show schools where their systems fall short.
A report card tells us something about a child's progress. Schools must also learn to recognise when a child is struggling and make sure that asking for help leads somewhere. Mental health is the bedrock of a thriving society, and our children are its future architects.
(The views expressed are personal)
This article is authored by Dr Rahul Mehra, executive chairman, Tarang Health Alliance and National Representative, India, UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education.