CISCE sets dates for student mental health conclave and charter rollout

UPDATE - follow-up to CISCE to bring together 16 lakh students in 3,300 schools to shape mental health charter: The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations has announced the detailed schedule and three-tier format for its upcoming mental health initiative involving nearly 16 lakh students, 32,000 teachers, and over 3,300 schools.

Programme Stages

The programme begins with school-level dialogues from October 4 to 31, coinciding with World Mental Health Day on October 10. Students from Classes VI to XII will discuss stress, digital life, substance abuse, and resilience. Next, virtual regional conclaves will run across 18 regions from November 4 to 14 to pick student and teacher representatives. The final national event takes place from November 20 to 22 at the CISCE Centre of Excellence in Hyderabad, gathering 72 students, 18 mentors, and various experts.

Expected Outcomes

The initiative aims to produce a Student Mental Health Charter, a Student Well-being Index, a collection of good school practices, and a white paper on adolescent mental health concerns. CISCE is also considering making this conclave a biennial event.