Rajasthan has introduced a structured mental health and well-being programme in primary education with the launch of the 'Khushishala' initiative in around 1,500 government schools. The programme, implemented by the Rajasthan State Council of Educational Research and Training (RSCERT), targets students from Classes 1 to 5 and focuses on their emotional well-being, social development and life skills through activity-based learning.
Is Mental Health Programme Needed At School Level?
According to a research titled 'School Mental Health Program in India-Issues and Possible Practical Solutions' by Vijaya Raman and Shanti Thomas, an estimated 13 per cent of youth under 18 years of age worldwide have significant mental health problems. Additionally, a significant percentage of mental health issues have their onset below 25 years of age.
These are the years when children spend most of their time in school. Several preventive school-based mental health interventions have proven to have some level of efficacy, as per the study.
Khushishala In Rajasthan
The Rajasthan State Council of Education Research and Training, have designed a school-based approach to fostering positive mental health and well-being skills among children in government schools across Rajasthan.
What Does It Include?
According to a report by the Press Trust of India (PTI), RSCERT Director Shweta Fagediya said that the initiative also includes mental health and capacity-building training for teachers, enabling them to better understand and address the children's emotional needs.
First State In India To Implement Mental Health Programme At Primary Level
As per the report, officials have claimed that Rajasthan is the first state in the country to launch such a programme. "Khushishala has made Rajasthan the first state in India to implement a mental health and well-being programme at the primary education level. The objective is to strengthen children's emotional resilience and social-emotional skills while equipping teachers to better understand and support students' emotional needs," RSCERT Director Shweta Fagediya said.
Training Programme For Teachers
Under the programme, teachers undergo a three-day training module along with a 21-day audio-based course focusing on emotional awareness, stress recognition, relationship building and wellbeing. Special teacher handbooks and mobile-based resources have also been developed to facilitate classroom activities.
What's Beyond Teacher Training
The director said that the programme goes beyond teacher training and focuses on helping educators effectively translate wellbeing concepts into age-appropriate classroom activities.
According to education experts, teacher-led wellbeing programmes can improve classroom participation, social interaction and students' ability to cope with challenges. Such interventions also help teachers identify and respond to the children's emotional needs more effectively.
Trial Showed Positive Result: Stronger Teacher-Student Relationships, Reduced Stress
Fagediya mentioned that a pilot project conducted in Sirohi and Banswara districts in 2024 yielded encouraging results.
"The pilot involved 120 teachers and recorded a 53 per cent improvement in socio-emotional skills among students. Among girls, the improvement reached 69 per cent. The findings also indicated stronger teacher-student relationships and greater emotional development among children," she said.
She added that the programme helped reduce academic stress and encouraged children to enjoy learning through interactive activities.
What's Next
Following the pilot's success, RSCERT, in collaboration with Kshamtalaya Foundation, trained 165 teachers in 2025 through a combination of classroom and online learning. In addition, 1,320 teachers from 33 District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) were trained.
The initiative is now being expanded under the current academic session. There are plans to train 11,305 teachers at the panchayat level and extend the programme to 649 PM SHRI schools across the state.
"After the completion of these training programmes, more than 12,000 schools in Rajasthan will have at least one trained teacher capable of implementing Khushishala activities among primary school students," Fagediya said.
