By Chandan Singh | Page 3 News Worldwide | New Delhi
Minister Ashish Sood reviews proposed framework to tackle mental health stigma; policy to cover schools, colleges and young people outside formal education
NEW DELHI: Moving beyond textbooks, examinations and academic performance, the Delhi Government is seeking to place the mental well-being of children and young people at the centre of its education policy.
Education Minister Ashish Sood reviewed the proposed Mental Well-being Policy, reaffirming the government’s focus on creating an educational environment where emotional and psychological health receives as much attention as academic achievement.
The proposed policy aims to break the stigma surrounding mental health and promote open conversations about emotional well-being. Its proposed coverage includes CM SHRI schools, government and government-aided schools, higher education institutions, private educational institutions and children with special needs.
The framework also seeks to extend its outreach to young people up to 25 years of age, including those outside the formal education system.
A key feature of the proposal is to make the entire school ecosystem accountable for children’s well-being. The framework includes provisions for psychometric assessments of personnel working closely with children, including teaching and non-teaching staff as well as transport employees.
Dedicated handbooks containing structured questions, practical exercises and activities have also been developed to strengthen emotional awareness and encourage responsible engagement with children.
The proposed policy will be formally launched on 19 November 2026 at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in the presence of Pujya Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (Gurudev).
Emphasising the need to look beyond conventional measures of educational success, Sood said children must be provided with an environment where they feel safe, heard and understood.
“We must look at education beyond classrooms, textbooks and examination results. Every child deserves an environment where they feel safe, heard and understood. Mental well-being should not be a conversation that begins only when a child is facing a crisis,” the minister said.
He added that the government wanted to build a culture in which discussing emotions and seeking support becomes natural, without hesitation or stigma.
“Our responsibility is to prepare children not just for examinations, but for life,” Sood said.
The initiative reflects the Delhi Government’s proposed broader approach to education, with an emphasis on nurturing confidence, resilience and overall well-being alongside academic excellence.
