Chandigarh, May 18:A Conference of Vice-Chancellors on “Uniform Policy on Mental Health & Well-being for Higher Educational Institutions” was organised at Punjab Lok Bhavan, Chandigarh under the chairmanship of Governor of Punjab and Administrator, U.T. Chandigarh, Gulab Chand Kataria.

Addressing the conference, Governor Kataria emphasised that mental wellness is not merely an academic concern but a vital foundation for nation-building and the future of youth. He said that while educational institutions often focus on degrees, placements and infrastructure, equal attention must be given to the mental health and emotional well-being of students, as true success remains incomplete without a healthy mind.

Expressing concern over rising stress, loneliness, digital addiction, academic pressure and uncertainty regarding employment among students, the Governor urged universities and colleges to establish effective counselling systems, happiness and wellness cells, peer-mentoring programmes and student-to-student support networks. He stressed that educational institutions must create a safe, sensitive and supportive environment where no student feels isolated or unheard.

Highlighting the importance of skill-based and employment-oriented education, Governor Kataria said that mental wellness and self-reliance are deeply interconnected. He emphasised vocational and employment-oriented education to make youth self-reliant and enable weaker sections of society to live with dignity. Calling upon institutions to actively support anti-drug initiatives, he said that educational campuses must become centres of awareness, guidance and positive transformation for youth.

Referring to the National Education Policy-2020 and Government of India initiatives such as Tele-MANAS and Manodarpan, Governor Kataria said that mental health is now being treated as an important pillar of national development. He called upon all universities to make mental health awareness and de-addiction an integral part of institutional culture and expressed confidence that Punjab’s universities would emerge as a national model in creating emotionally resilient and future-ready youth.

During the conference, Dr. Sunita Siwach, Joint Secretary, UGC, delivered the keynote address on “A Comprehensive Overview of Statistics, Global Perspectives and National Initiatives” related to mental health and student well-being.

Prof. R.K. Baniwal, Professor of Psychiatry, Centre of Excellence in Mental Health, ABVIMS and Dr. RML Hospital, New Delhi, also delivered an insightful lecture on “Mental Health Awareness” and highlighted the growing importance of early intervention, counselling and awareness among students in higher educational institutions.

Besides this, five universities also gave presentations on mental health, de-addiction, student welfare and implementation of the National Education Policy.

Prominent dignitaries present on the occasion included Additional Chief Secretary to Governor Punjab, Sh. Vivek Pratap Singh; Director of Census Operations and Citizen Registration, Sh. Lalit Jain; and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Jaspal Singh Sandhu, who conducted the proceedings of the conference. Vice-Chancellors, senior academicians, mental health experts and faculty members from various universities and higher educational institutions across Punjab were also present during the conference.