Congress MP and deputy leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make mental health counselling in schools “mandatory” and integrate digital safety education into school curriculum to address the “growing mental health crisis” among India’s youth.

“I am writing to you with deep concern about the growing mental health crisis among India’s youth,” the letter stated.

Gogoi said data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reveals “a steady and alarming rise” in the number of student suicides in India over the last five years.

“Recently, the Hon’ble Supreme Court has also expressed alarm over this disturbing trend. Additionally, the National Mental Health Survey (2016) found that 1 in 10 adolescents suffer from mental health disorders, yet India allocates less than 0.5% of its total health budget to mental health services,” he said, adding the situation “is exacerbated by social media exposure, which has led to increased anxiety, depression, and toxic online environments.”

According to NCRB, suicide cases linked to mental issues saw a 44 per cent spike between 2018 and 2022, mostly in the 18-45 age bracket. There was a rise in suicide cases due to mental health by more than 25 per cent in 2020 in comparison to 2019.

Gogoi invited open conversations about mental health, creating safe spaces where the youth feel heard.

He suggested the following measures for the PMO to act on to address the concerns:

• Mandatory mental health counselling in schools. Every school should have trained counsellors to provide psychological support to students.

• Awareness campaigns on responsible social media use. Digital safety education must be integrated into school curriculum to protect from cyberbullying.

• Addressing toxic masculinity. Programmes that promote emotional intelligence, gender sensitivity and healthy expressions of masculinity should be introduced.

• Increased budget allocation for mental health services. More funding is needed to improve access to mental health professionals and support systems across the country.

“The youth of India deserve an environment where they can thrive without fear, stress, or societal pressures that compromise their well-being. I hope that your esteemed office will take decisive steps to safeguard the mental health of our future generations,” Gogoi said.