IIT Guwahati Introduces Mental Wellbeing Initiatives to Curb Student Suicides

IIT Guwahati came up with effective measures to ensure the wellbeing of the students. They will be conducting Ice-breaking sessions for freshers during the first week of the academic year. Morning walks with the faculty members and compulsory counselling sessions will also be organised. They will also conduct comprehensive medical check-ups and stress escape room workshops. The institute believes that this will help students mentally and reduce the suicide rate as well.

In the last semester, students were protesting there as the suicide cases were going up. To deal with this, IIT Guwahati is taking up these initiatives. Director of IIT-Guwahati, Devendra Jalihal, said that they have come up with a comprehensive plan to prevent suicides among students.

Also Read: Worli’s property market booms with Rs 4,862 cr ultra-luxury deals, prices surge 30 pc

“We have established a dedicated mental health and counselling system in the form of a Center for Holistic Wellbeing. SAATHI Counselling Club, a part of this centre consisting of student volunteers, supports fellow students in their mental and overall wellbeing with the help of professional counsellors,” he said to PTI.

Further speaking about their plan of recruiting retired army men for counselling students, he said, “We are exploring roping in retired army personnel as hostel special stewards who will routinely interact with the students to make them comfortable and share their observations with the counsellors. All of this will be done in a confidential manner and while ensuring that the students do not feel intimidated or there is no violation of their privacy.”

The SAATHI Counselling Club recently held a stress escape room session to help students deal with the pressure of semester exams. The workshop's objectives were to explore career options and entrepreneurship while also sharing knowledge on how to handle stress.