J&K Govt shares student mental health measures with Education department
Srinagar, Feb 5: The Jammu and Kashmir government has shared student mental health and welfare measures with the School Education Department in line with Supreme Court guidelines, even as official data revealed acute shortages of trained psychiatrists and mental health professionals under the National Health Mission (NHM) across several districts of J&K.
The information was provided in a written reply to a question by People’s Democratic Party (PDP) legislator Aga Muntazir Mehdi of Budgam on the implementation of Supreme Court guidelines in Sukdeb Saha vs. State of Andhra Pradesh.
The ruling emphasised systemic accountability in student welfare and custodial care amid rising incidents of student suicides.
“The Health and Medical Education( H&ME) Department , vide letter dated Jan. 27, 2026, has conveyed the requisite inputs to the School Education Department, which is the nodal department,” the reply said. “These inputs have been incorporated in the response filed on behalf of the Union Territory of J&K.”
On mental health initiatives for students, youth and other vulnerable groups, the department said services are being delivered through Tele-MANAS, the government’s tele-mental health platform.
It said awareness campaigns are being conducted in schools and colleges to help teachers and frontline workers identify early signs of mental health distress and substance abuse, enabling timely referrals and intervention.
The government said Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATF’S) are operational in all districts, and five-day training programs for teachers and grassroots-level workers are conducted twice a month to strengthen de-addiction, counselling and rehabilitation services.
The reply also cited awareness activities, including the observance of World Suicide Prevention Week from Sept, 10 to 16, 2025, and a World Health Day lecture on stress management.
“A UNICEF-supported Child Psychology Section has been operational for the past three years”, it added.
On the role of non-governmental organizations, the government said community-based mental health activities are primarily carried out through the public health system, with civil society groups engaged only when required.
Despite these measures, district-wise data attached to the reply revealed significant shortages of specialists under NHM.
Nine districts -Shopian, Pulwama, Bandipora, Ramban, Kishtwar, Udhampur, Reasi, Samba and Poonch do not have a trained psychiatrist posted under the mission either in district or sub-district hospitals.
Kulgam, Budgam, Ganderbal, Kupwara and Srinagar’s JLNM Hospital each have only one NHM-trained psychiatrist.
District hospitals in Anantnag, Baramulla, Handwara, Doda, Rajouri and Kathua were upgraded to medical colleges by 2019 and now have psychiatrists available through medical college faculty and the health department.
Specialised psychiatric facilities are functioning at the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS), an associated hospital of Government Medical College Srinagar; Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Bemina; and Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu.
However, no psychiatrist medical officers from NHM are posted at these institutions.
Under NHM, the UT has appointed 11 clinical psychologists, eight psychiatric social workers, nine psychiatric nurses, nine community nurses, 11 record keepers and 12 case registry assistants across 20 districts, with several districts still lacking this trained staff.
