The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Monday issued an advisory to colleges and universities to set up helplines to address students’ mental health, psychosocial concerns and well-being.

The UGC suggested regular mentoring of students through interactions on emails, telephone, digital and social media platforms and to appeal to students to remain calm and stress-free.

UGC has also suggested the higher educational institutions to form Covid-19 help groups of students, headed by hostel wardens, senior faculty who can identify friends and classmates in need of help and provide immediate necessary help.

This comes after HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank directed the heads of autonomous institutions to take necessary steps for mental health and well-being of students in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak.

“The implementation of the suggested measures may be regularly monitored and actions taken in this regard may be submitted on the UGC’s university activity monitoring portal,” said the advisory.

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