Sound mind in a sound body

Educational institutions, backed by family and the State, must address students’ mental health issues

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A 16-year-old’s suicide note blaming harassment by teachers at his school in the national capital —and other such recent incidents, including the death of a nine-year-old ata Jaipur school —hold upa mirror to the inadequate attention paid to the mental health needs of students.

This is a critical failure, especially when pre-adolescents and adolescents choose the path of suicide and self-harm. While this requires action at all levels, a significant part of the problem is the lack of capacity and training among school staff, including teachers, to identify concerns and take mitigatory measures. This deficiency is exacerbated by insensitive/callous handling or even active contribution, as alleged in the Delhi incident.