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Schools with at least 100 students will be required to appoint a qualified counsellor, psychologist or social worker trained in child and adolescent mental health.
The new framework aims to make emotional well-being an integral part of school education, alongside academic performance. (AI Image)
The Gujarat government has introduced new rules requiring secondary and higher secondary schools to put formal systems in place to protect students’ mental health and address the risk of suicide. The regulations, introduced under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, cover students from Classes 9 to 12 in schools affiliated with the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB).
The new framework aims to make emotional well-being an integral part of school education, alongside academic performance, reported ANI. It comes amid concerns about the impact of examination pressure, competition, family expectations, social media use and uncertainty about future careers on students’ mental health.
Under the revised provisions, every school offering Classes 9 to 12 will have to establish a School Wellness Team (SWT). Schools with 100 or more students must also appoint at least one qualified counsellor, psychologist or social worker with specialised training in child and adolescent mental health.
The Education Department has incorporated Regulation 16(A) into the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Regulations, 1974. Detailed implementation provisions have been added to Appendix 8. Education Minister Dr Pradyuman Vaja and Minister of State for Education Rivabaa Jadeja have also guided the department in developing the framework.
The rules have been framed in line with 15 binding guidelines and four directives issued by the Supreme Court in a judgment concerning student mental health and suicide prevention in educational institutions. They also draw on the NCERT’s UMMEED guidelines, which stand for Understand, Motivate, Manage, Empathise, Empower and Develop.
A School Wellness Team will be mandatory in every school covered by the regulations. Its responsibilities will include monitoring students’ emotional well-being, recognising signs of psychological distress and responding to potential suicide risks and other emergencies.
The school principal will head the team, while the counsellor or a designated teacher will coordinate its activities. The team will also include one teacher each from the secondary and higher secondary sections, a representative of the School Management Committee, a non-teaching staff member and student peer leaders.
These student representatives, known as ‘Mano-Mitra’, will be selected from both sections. The teams must be formed at the beginning of every academic year, with their work reviewed annually. It is intended to help students create a more supportive environment among their classmates. Based on the NCERT’s UMMEED framework, these peer leaders will offer initial emotional support to students facing difficulties and encourage them to seek professional help when required. They will also help connect students with teachers, counsellors and other available support services.
Schools with at least 100 students will be required to appoint a qualified counsellor, psychologist or social worker trained in child and adolescent mental health.
Institutions with fewer than 100 students must establish formal referral arrangements with external mental health professionals and nearby healthcare facilities. These may include Community Health Centres (CHCs), Primary Health Centres (PHCs), the District Mental Health Programme and Tele-MANAS services.
The rules also call for additional support during academically sensitive periods, including board examinations, result announcements and transitions from Class 8 to Class 9 and Class 10 to Class 11. Schools will have to assign mentors or counsellors to small groups of students to help them cope with academic pressure and emotional challenges.
The regulations prohibit schools from segregating students inside or outside classrooms on the basis of examination marks or academic results. Public humiliation, negative comparisons and stigmatisation linked to academic performance will also be prohibited.
Schools will be expected to maintain an environment that promotes equality, dignity, encouragement and mutual support.
To improve students’ emotional well-being, institutions will have to organise activities such as yoga, meditation, art, music, gardening, dance and sports. Existing programmes, including Khel Mahakumbh, Finishing School, Saptadhara, Pariksha Pe Charcha, NSS, NCC, Scouts and Guides, and community service initiatives, will also be used to support students’ overall development.
Students must have convenient and confidential access to counsellors or designated mentor teachers to discuss personal concerns and emotional difficulties. Schools will also be required to install help boxes or suggestion boxes through which students can communicate their problems.
Child helpline numbers and contact details of School Wellness Teams must be displayed prominently on school websites, notice boards, in classrooms, hostels and counselling rooms.
The regulations also require schools to protect students’ mental health information, counselling records and other sensitive personal details. Such information can only be shared with authorised individuals directly involved in a student’s safety, treatment, counselling or welfare.
Training in student mental health will be mandatory for both teaching and non-teaching staff. Schools must arrange sessions conducted by certified mental health professionals at least twice a year.
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Institutions will also need systems for providing psychological first aid, recognising early warning signs, responding to self-harm concerns and referring students to appropriate support services.
Any indication of suicidal thoughts, self-harm, severe psychological distress or other risky behaviour must be addressed immediately. If a student attempts suicide or engages in self-harm, the school must ensure that the student is not left alone and arrange medical or emergency assistance without delay.
In the event of a student’s death by suicide, schools must provide psychological, emotional and social support to affected students, teachers, staff members and family members through an appropriate postvention process. Communication about such incidents must be factual and responsible. Media interactions will be handled only by the principal or an authorised school representative.
The new framework also requires schools to establish confidential and accessible grievance redressal systems to address sexual harassment, ragging, bullying, cyberbullying and discrimination.
Complaints involving discrimination based on caste, class, gender, religion, language, socio-economic background or disability must be investigated promptly and impartially.
The regulations provide for institutional accountability if a school fails to take appropriate action despite being aware, or reasonably expected to be aware, of a serious risk, and that failure is found to have significantly contributed to harm or a suicide incident. Disciplinary or legal action may follow under the applicable laws and regulations.
The government has also included career guidance as part of the student well-being framework. Schools will be expected to familiarise students with different higher education pathways, vocational courses, skill-development programmes and entrepreneurship opportunities.
At the district level, a monitoring committee headed by the District Magistrate or District Collector will oversee implementation. It will review compliance by educational institutions, coordinate interventions, monitor complaints and serious incidents, and recommend corrective steps.
Schools will be required to comply with the committee’s directions.
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Ask News18The Gujarat government has made mental health support mandatory for Classes 9 to 12 across secondary and higher secondary schools under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. The regulations require every school to establish a School Wellness Team and mandate that institutions with 100 or more students appoint a qualified child and adolescent mental health professional.
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November 02, 2026, 11:53 IST
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