Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Dec 5: About 7.3 per cent of adolescents aged 13–17 years in 12 Indian states are affected by mental health disorders, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav informed Parliament on Thursday, citing data from the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) 2015–16 conducted by NIMHANS.
Responding to a Lok Sabha question, the Minister highlighted the Union government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen mental health services, noting that the National Tele Mental Health Programme—launched on October 10, 2022—has significantly expanded access to counselling and psychological support across the country.
Jadhav said the Tele-MANAS mobile app offers a single platform for concerns ranging from general emotional well-being to clinically diagnosed mental disorders. The app now supports 10 additional regional languages, bringing the total to 12 including English and Hindi. It has also been upgraded with features accessible to visually challenged users, including a toll-free audio line that requires no screen interaction.
As of November 27, a total of 53 Tele-MANAS cells have been set up across 36 States and Union Territories, offering services in 20 languages. Since launch, the national helpline has handled more than 29.82 lakh calls, with 12.33 lakh of them registered in the current year alone. A video-consultation module has also been rolled out to complement the existing audio-based support.
Underscoring inter-ministerial cooperation, Jadhav pointed to the Education Ministry’s Manodarpan initiative, designed to provide psychosocial support to students, teachers and families. The programme aims to ease emotional distress, especially among school and university students preparing for competitive examinations.
He also noted that the University Grants Commission (UGC) issued guidelines in April 2023 to promote physical fitness, emotional well-being, and psychological resilience in higher education institutions. The framework encourages sports participation, safeguards against academic and peer pressure, and supports positive thinking and a healthy campus environment.
The government, he said, remains committed to strengthening both preventive and responsive mental health systems, particularly for young people facing increasing academic and social stress.