New Delhi: Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel told Lok Sabha on Friday that the government has taken various measures to address mental health challenges and promote student well-being. Responding to a question, Patel in a written reply said the data regarding suicide cases reported in the medical educational institutions has not been compiled centrally.
She said the measures to address mental health challenges and promote student well-being include implementation of National Mental Health Programme (NMHP), strengthening of mental healthcare services, National Tele Mental Health Programme (NTMHP), Tele MANAS Mobile Application, National Suicide Prevention Strategy and the likes.
The Department of Higher Education has also been requested for wide publicity of NTMHP/Tele MANAS in the educational institutes under their department and share the helpline number among the students to access the helpline during stressful and challenging times, Patel said.
Further, all states and UTs have been requested for wide circulation and publicity of NTMHP/Tele MANAS in the respective places especially among students in educational institutions.
All institutes of national importance, AIIMS and central government medical colleges have also been requested to publicise Tele MANAS among students to access the helpline at any time for free and confidential support.
Furthermore, a 15-member National Task Force was constituted by the anti-ragging committee of the National Medical Commission (NMC) in February 2024. The NMC has published its report in August, 2024, Patel stated.
Aggrieved students can lodge complaints related to mental health and ragging on NMC’s website as well as other portals such as Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS). National Medical Commission Regulations such as Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Medical College and Institutions Regulations, 2021 require colleges to submit annual compliance report and prescribe punitive actions for offenders.
“The data regarding suicide cases reported in the medical educational institutions has not been compiled centrally,” she said in a written reply.
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