IIT Roorkee Drafts Mental Health Policy Framework for IITs

IIT Roorkee has initiated the drafting of a mental health policy designed to serve as a model framework for all Indian Institutes of Technology. The first draft has been prepared by the institute’s Wellness Centre in consultation with academic and clinical experts. The initiative aims to standardise mental health governance across IIT campuses.

SAHYOG 2.0 Inter-IIT Discussions on Mental Health Governance

The drafting process gained momentum during SAHYOG 2.0, an inter-IIT consultation platform focused on sharing institutional practices and policy inputs. The objective was to examine existing governance models and integrate effective measures into a unified policy for the IIT ecosystem.

SAHYOG 2.0 follows SAHYOG 1.0, conducted in 2024, and aligns with directions issued by the Supreme Court of India and the University Grants Commission (UGC) regarding mental health responsibilities in higher education institutions. The discussions were centred on creating a structured and responsive framework for student well-being across campuses.

• Institutional policy formulation strategies
• Preventive and crisis-response interventions
• Strengthening wellness centres and counselling cells
• Standard operating procedures for mental health emergencies
• Standardisation of mental health governance across IITs

Role of IIT Roorkee Wellness Centre and Leadership

The draft policy was developed by the Wellness Centre at IIT Roorkee with inputs from the Dean of Student Welfare, Associate Dean of Student Wellness, clinical psychologists, faculty members, and external advisors.

Director Prof. K K Pant emphasised that mental health and well-being are essential pillars of academic excellence. He stated that initiatives such as SAHYOG 2.0 demonstrate collective responsibility among IITs to address student mental health concerns through structured institutional mechanisms.

Participation of National Institutions and Experts

Delegates at SAHYOG 2.0 included deans, faculty members, and mental health professionals from all IITs. External experts from leading institutions also contributed to the discussions.

Participating institutions included AIIMS Rishikesh, GMCH Chandigarh, Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), King George’s Medical University (KGMU), Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Institute of Psychiatry Kolkata, OP Jindal Global University, Mariwala Health Initiative, University of Delhi, and Uttarakhand Police and Forensic Science Institute (UPSIFS). A Supreme Court advocate and an anthropologist were also part of the consultation.