Education Ministry issues guidelines to safeguard students

The Ministry of Education (MoE) has released preliminary guidelines for schools aimed at fostering sensitivity, empathy, and support for students dealing with self-harming tendencies. These guidelines, known as Understand, Motivate, Manage, Empathize, Empower, Develop (UMMEED), come in response to a concerning rise in death by suicide among students preparing for competitive exams like JEE and NEET in Kota, Rajasthan. In 2023, Kota witnessed approximately 25 such cases.

The proposed school guidelines encompass the formation of a School Wellness Team (SWT), identification of distressed students at risk of self-harm, prompt response, and providing necessary assistance. The SWT will also play a pivotal role in implementing mental health awareness programmes and suicide prevention initiatives. The recommendations stress that the SWT’s efforts alone won’t suffice and will necessitate collaboration from all stakeholders.

The composition of the SWT is outlined in the guidelines. Led by school principals, the team will include a school counsellor, teachers, a medical officer or nurse, and other support staff.

In addition to this, the guidelines emphasise the understanding that suicide can be an impulsive act arising from severe stress in complex circumstances, with causes differing from person to person.