School Mental Health: According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), 7.3 per cent of young people, that is, 18 to 29 years of age group, face overall mental morbidity. The NCERT Survey (2022) highlighted that 11 per cent of students reported anxiety, 14 per cent experienced extreme emotions, and 43 per cent had mood swings. UNICEF data has also estimated that around half of all mental health conditions begin by the age of 14, making schools one of the earliest and most important settings for prevention and early intervention. Schools therefore cannot view mental health as something that sits outside the classroom, experts suggest.
As per the United Nations Children's Fund report, India has only 0.75 psychiatrists per 100,000 people and even fewer psychologists. “Psychiatric social workers are also critically scarce across the country,” UNICEF stated. This gap directly impacts young people's access to timely support, it added.
According to Vasvi Bharat Ram, Founder Chairperson, India Mental Health Alliance (IMHA), for most children, school is where they spend the majority of their waking hours. “It is where they learn to build relationships, develop resilience, regulate emotions, cope with setbacks, and it shapes the foundation of who they become,” she said. In a country where access to child mental health professionals remains limited, schools are also the most scalable platform for prevention and early intervention, she added.
Upon being asked why mental health must be a school priority in India today, Vasvi told NDTV that teachers are often the first to notice when a child has withdrawn, become unusually anxious, or is struggling in ways that may not be visible at home.
“Mental health is not separate from education; it is foundational to it,” she said. According to her, children who feel emotionally secure are better able to learn, participate, build relationships, and thrive. “If we are serious about preparing young people for life, not just examinations, then prioritising mental health in schools is no longer optional; it is essential,” she added.
Vasvi told NDTV that one of the most common misconceptions is that school-based mental health is only about responding to children in crisis or those diagnosed with mental health conditions. However, she further stated, in reality, “the goal is prevention, early intervention, and creating an environment where every child feels safe, supported, and able to thrive.”
Highlighting the role of teachers, she noted that it is to recognise when something may be wrong, create psychologically safe classrooms, and know when and how to connect a child to appropriate support.
Responding to how she defines a "whole-school" approach to mental health, Vasvi said that a whole-school approach begins with recognising that mental health is not the responsibility of a single counsellor or wellbeing period. It is woven into the culture and curriculum of the school. “Every adult who interacts with a child, from teachers and school leaders to support staff, has a role to play in creating an environment where children feel a sense of belonging,” she added.
The IMHA founder further stated that equally important is engaging parents, because a child's wellbeing cannot be supported in isolation from their home environment. “Ultimately, schools should be places where children do not just learn mathematics or science; they learn how to understand themselves, build healthy relationships, cope with setbacks, and ask for help when they need it, " she added.