PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee has initiated the drafting of a comprehensive mental health policy, setting a precedent for all IITs. The first draft of the policy was prepared by the Wellness Centre, a mental health care facility for the community, with the collective expertise of the faculty members, clinical psychologists at the institute and external advisors.
The initiative was further strengthened through “SAHYOG 2.0,” a focused inter-IIT discussion aimed at seeking and sharing inputs from fellow IITs to contribute meaningfully to the mental health policy framework of the IIT community. The objective of this dialogue was to learn from existing policies, protocols and governance mechanisms followed across IITs, and to incorporate relevant insights into a comprehensive, inclusive and student as well as IIT community-centric policy.
SAHYOG 2.0 builds upon the success of SAHYOG 1.0, held in 2024, and aligns with the recent directives of the Supreme Court of India and the University Grants Commission (UGC), emphasising the critical role of higher education institutions in mental health governance. Institutional approaches to mental health governance and policy formulation, preventive, promotive and responsive mental health interventions, the role of wellness centres, counselling cells and student welfare structures in policy implementation, standardisation and alignment of mental health policies across IITs and formulation of standard operating procedures for crisis situations were among the issues discussed during the event.
Speaking about the initiative, IIT Roorkee director KK Pant said, “Mental health and well-being have emerged as critical pillars of excellence in higher education and initiatives such as SAHYOG 2.0 reflect our collective recognition of this responsibility.”
