The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has issued guidelines to schools for setting up a mental health advisory panel, a school-based mental health program, and pedagogical support to ensure the mental well-being of students and to engage parents. The guidelines, titled, "Early identification and intervention for mental health problems in school-going children and adolescents," have been issued by NCERT following a mental health survey among schoolchildren. The survey report released last week cited exams, body image issues, and peer pressure as the major factors causing stress and anxiety among school students.

The guidelines noted that schools are seen as spaces where communities of learners are expected to develop in a safe and secure environment. School administration, principals, teachers, other staff, and students all spend roughly one-third of a day and approximately 220 days per year in schools across India′s states and union territories, with students in residential schools spending even more time. Therefore, it is the school′s responsibility to ensure the safety, security, health, and well-being of all children in schools and hostels. According to the directives, every school or group of schools should establish a mental health advisory panel to create awareness. The panel, chaired by school staff, parents, and alumni, should also plan and enforce age-and gender-appropriate annual school mental health programs. Further, the guidelines added that the schools should have a provision for identifying and treating behavior problems like substance use, self-harm behavior, depression, developmental concerns, etc.

The educational council has also recommended that, in addition to families and parents, teachers be informed about early warning signs because they are the primary caregivers in schools. Teachers must be trained to recognize early signs of attachment issues, separation anxiety, school refusal, communication issues, anxiety patterns, depressive states, conduct-related issues, excessive internet use, hyperactivity, intellectual disability, and learning disabilities in students. The guidelines emphasized that teachers should talk about bullying cases in class. They should empower students by discussing and educating them about the consequences of bullying. Also, they should provide a confidential way for students to report any incidents of bullying that concern them. 

(Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ncert-issues-guidelines-to-schools-for-early-identification-of-mental-health-problems-in-students/article65878374.ece )