Opinion Higher education in India is suffering from a mental health crisis we can no longer ignore

Mental health literacy is one of the most underutilised but powerful tools in fighting depression. Maybe gamified mental health education is an answer. Why not integrate interactive, story-driven apps or games into freshers’ orientation or course modules in our universities? Through gamification, students can learn about anxiety, depression, coping strategies, and when to seek help. “SPARX” (Smart, Positive, Active, Realistic, X-factor thoughts) is a digital platform that uses a fantasy-themed role-playing game to deliver Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to those experiencing mild to moderate depression. It helps in personal connection and recall, making students more likely to seek support when needed.

Peer support is another powerful method. Many students are more likely to confide in a peer than a professor or counsellor. Our institutions must train select students as Mental Health Navigators (MHNs), equipped with mental health first aid, motivational interviewing, and active listening skills. This creates a bridge between students in distress and the professional help they need. MHNs are not trained therapists, but informed friends who listen non-judgmentally, recognise red flags, and guide peers towards the appropriate campus resources. Such roles must be formalised and incentivised, offering both leadership experience and academic credit in the universities.

Several technology-based tools too could be used. Every student has a smartphone. Why not use them to manage mental health? Some universities are beginning to experiment with AI-powered mood tracking apps that monitor language, sleep, and social behaviours via passive data and self-reporting. Apps like “Youper”, or “Moodpath” use conversational AI to guide users through reflections and emotional self-awareness. “Youper” even connects one to actual therapists and meditation centres. Our institutions could develop or license personalised platforms that integrate with student portals, offering regular mood check-ins, alerts to advisors if concerning trends appear, and anonymous crisis support. With proper privacy controls, such tech could prevent crises before they happen.

Even physical spaces significantly impact emotional well-being. Why not rethink campus architecture with mental health in mind? Universities could create “emotional wellness zones”, designed for de-stressing and reflection. Natural light, plants, water features, or creative expression hubs could all be created. Students often feel they are losing their voice under pressure to conform to academic and societal expectations. Innovative programmes that use narrative therapy to help students rewrite their personal stories are useful in building mental resilience. Our universities must offer elective or extracurricular programmes in creative writing, visual art, podcasting, or storytelling circles where students reflect on their journeys and find strength in vulnerability. Storytelling platforms like “The Moth” or “Humans of New York” used in the universities in the US have helped students reframe adversity as part of a larger, hopeful narrative. Should our universities too not do the same?

Lack of sleep and poor nutrition are both strongly correlated with depression. Campuses must innovate by creating “wellness labs” or “body-mind biohacking labs”, spaces where students experiment with improving sleep, nutrition, and hydration under guided protocols. These labs could involve interactive workshops on body rhythms, dietary impacts on mental clarity, and even tech detoxes. Emerging technologies like Virtual Reality too must be used to address mental health. VR simulations can provide exposure therapy for students with social anxiety, guided mindfulness for stress reduction, or even empathy training modules that simulate living with depression or bipolar disorder. For example, “Deep VR” guides users through calming exercises and ensures a certain level of mental peace.

Mental health is not one-size-fits-all. Just as an academic advising helps students achieve goals, mental health roadmaps should also be customised. During freshers’ orientation, students could fill out a mental health self-assessment that helps them build a “Resilience Profile.” Students then receive a confidential mental wellness plan, based on factors like stress tolerance, sleep habits, past trauma, or current support systems. These profiles evolve over time.

Just as athletes need time off to recover from injuries, students too need safe, stigma-free space to recover from mental health crises. Our universities could experiment with mental health sabbatical policies, such as allowing students to take short or medium-term breaks from academics without academic penalty or tuition loss. The returning students should be welcomed back with a re-acclimation plan involving reduced course loads, peer mentorship, and periodic counselling. Above all, this should be treated as strength and not failure.

Finally, many students report feeling unseen or unheard by the institution itself. Faculty and administration should undergo “radical listening” training, learning to create safe spaces for students to voice their concerns without fear of judgment or retaliation. Open spaces, town halls, anonymous feedback loops, and “office hours for emotional check-ins” will all humanise the college experience and make students feel valued. Building a culture of empathy from top down is perhaps the most powerful innovation of all. Is it not time we treat mental health not as a side issue, but as a central pillar of academic experience?

Mantha is Former Chairman AICTE and Thakur Former Secretary GoI, MHRD