Amid ongoing placement rush on the campus, the Student Wellness Centre (SWC) at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, has launched a 'recharge zone' – a unique stress-relief initiative for students participating in placements. This zone offers stress-buster stations such as pet therapy, foot-spa, art and yoga for students to destress. Located near hostel 16, where most placement drives are taking place on campus, this one-of-its-kind zone is a make-shift open space area which has different stalls, each offering a type of service. It is strategically placed-right in front of the students participating in the placement process-making it accessible for all. Elaborating on the need for such an initiative, Shoukath Ali, acting in-charge of SWC at IIT Bombay told The Indian Express, "We have observed a significant increase in the number of students seeking counselling during placement season on campus. Even as the season ends on a happy note, these few days of the placement process are very crucial. Students, at this time, experience emotions, ranging from hope to hopelessness." While the counselling process at the SWC will continue as it is, this initiative, Ali shared, goes beyond the conventional counselling done at the centre. It was the result of brainstorming by the SWC’s outreach team, in an effort to provide easily accessible open space for students to destress, while going through the placement period. The students, Ali said, "have been overwhelmingly positive to Recharge-Zone, which is the first such initiative by any IIT." The recharge zone, which started on December 1, will be active between 4pm and 11pm, every day till December 7. The timings have been decided in a way to cater to the busy period of placement on campus. The pet therapy, mostly with dogs, offers a relaxing time to students. The stall for yoga includes guided 30–45-minute sessions of physical activities or various asanas that can help release stress. The foot-spa facility has trained massage therapists. "The therapists are visually challenged but have been trained by an NGO to give relaxing foot massages," said Ali. The art or paint therapy, as the name suggests, allows a student to express or release various emotions in his/her mind by drawing or painting. "There are specialised experts who can help students understand their internal conflicts through their paintings, if they want,” said Ali.
