The Maharashtra government has constituted a 11-member expert committee to form a draft policy on protection of student mental health and grievance redressal in educational institutions. The policy will be applicable to public universities (non-agricultural), affiliated colleges, and private universities in the state. The committee, to be headed by Vice-Chancellor of Mumbai’s HSNC University Dr Hemlata Bagla, has been directed to submit its draft within two months. The formation of the committee was announced in a Government Resolution by the Higher and Technical Education departmnet on October 10. The panel was formed after the Supreme Court directed all educational institutions to adopt a uniform mental health policy, drawing from the UMMEED Draft Guidelines, the Manodarpan initiative, and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. The court, in Sukhdeb Saha vs The State of Andhra Pradesh and ORS. in July, laid out various guidelines, like mandating all teaching and non-teaching staff to undergo training by certified mental health professionals at least twice a year. The court said that all educational institutions must establish robust, confidential, and accessible mechanisms for the reporting, redressal, and prevention of incidents involving sexual assault, harassment, ragging, and bullying. “Institutions shall also maintain zero tolerance for retaliatory actions against complainants or whistle-blowers,” the judgment read. Following this order, on August 8, the Union Ministry of Law and Justice directed the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra to institute mental, health and suicide prevention measures for the students of all educational institutions in the state. Director of Higher Education Shailendra Deolankar was nominated as the nodal officer, who submitted the proposal for formation of the said committee. Members of the committee are Dr Asmita Chitnis, the Former Director of Symbiosis Institute of International Business; Dr Nayana Nimkar, Director at Symbiosis School of Sport Sciences; Dr Neha Jagtiani, Principal at RD and SH National College and SWA Science College; Dr Asmita Huddar, Principal of Hashu Advani College of Special Education; Dr Vilas Padhye, Psychology Professor at Elphinstone College; Professor Rajendra Mhaske, Head of Psychology Department at Savitribai Phule Pune University; Dr Alpana Vaidya, Head of Psychiatry Department at Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce; Dr Parveen Syed, Senior Legal Officer at Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune; and Dr, Milind Kale, NSS State Liaison Officer. Dr Sunil Patil, Director of the Student Welfare Department at University of Mumbai, will be the member secretary of the committee. Head of psychology department at SCAC Alpana Vaidya told The Indian Express, “The University Grants Commission (UGC) has already prepared a central committee. We also need to have some guidelines and a proper robust policy in the state regarding suicide prevention and student redressal.” “In general, academic pressure is the main reason (behind mental health issues in students). In this age, uncertainty about the future and concern about what will happen is another reason. Peer pressure is another reason that we have noticed,” she added.
