MANODARPAN – An Initiative for providing psycho-social support to the students

‘Manodarpan’ is an initiative by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. It is mainly to provide psycho social support and assistance to the students during such stressful situations in this global pandemic. Mental health concerns are of core importance and thus this initiative is mainly for mental well-being. It was launched on July 21, 2020. Under this initiative, a toll-free helpline no was launched, a special web page of MANODARPAN was launched on the portal of HRD Ministry and a Handbook for the same.

Overview:

Scheme Objectives:

• The main objective of the scheme is to provide psycho-social support to the students in such stressful pandemic situations all around
• This scheme aims at helping reducing stress and providing mental well-being to students.
• This scheme will lead a help to the students affected by such situations around as they can reach out to the helpline no./ the website/ go through the handbook for understanding mental health and mental well-being.

Benefits:

• This scheme will benefit the students to come out of the stressful situations all around.
• Experts from different fields of education, mental health and psycho social issues as its members have been set up to monitor.
• Toll free no. for consultation will help the students to reach out and consult their concerns and get help if needed.
• Various advisories for students, posters, videos, etc are available on the webpage. Booklets and handbooks are available so as to provide steps to manage mental well-being.
• Short films, Webinars, etc are also available as an additional resource.
• Students across the country can visit the website or contact the helpline no. and thereby avail the consultation and resources
• This initiative will thus strengthen the mental health, mental well being and thus increase overall productivity.

Components of MANODARPAN:

MANODARPAN covers a wide range of activities for providing psycho-social support to the students. It can be stated as follows:

• • Web Page named ‘MANODARPAN’ – psycho-social support for mental health and well-being’ has been created on the official website of HRD ministry
  • This web-page contains advisory, practical tips, posters, podcasts, message from famous personalities, etc for support.

• National Toll-free no. – 844 844 0632 is provided by MHRD for a country wide reach to all students from schools and colleges.
• A booklet/ Handbook is also available on the web-page which has FAQs, facts and Myths related to mental health and well being
• Interactive online chat platform is available for contacting and consulting the experts and professionals in mental health stream.

• Webinars, AV resources are uploaded as an additional resource. It also has short films, videos, comics.
• Specific do’s and don’ts are provided keeping in mind the current situations.

Key Points:

• This initiative is launched by the Union HRD Minister, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal. Minister of State HRD, Shri Sanjay Dhotre also addressed the session.
• This initiative is mainly launched keeping in mind the current challenging situations.
• This initiative is launched as part of Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan
• Experts from the fields of education have been set up monitor and promote the concerns thereby helping the students
• Experienced counsellors, Psychologists and other mental health professionals will mainly handle the helpline no. This will continue even post Covid -19 situation.
• This initiative overall has a sustainable psychological support to Students, Teachers and families as a whole.
• MANODARPAN platform will even continue in post corona times, with proactive mental health and well-being services along with mainstream learning processes, stated Mr. Sanjay Dhotre.