Prioritising mind over marks: Delhi govt starts summer counselling for students | Delhi News

New Delhi: As the scorching summer heat grips the capital, govt schools in Delhi are turning their attention to a different kind of warmth — emotional well-being. Recognising the growing importance of mental health, Delhi govt’s education department has launched a summer counselling programme aimed at providing crucial support to students during the vacation break.The initiative, which began on May 14 and will run through May 31, targets Class X and XII students during the pause in regular classes. The goal is to ensure that students continue to receive the guidance they need to thrive both academically and personally, even outside the traditional school calendar.Led by educational and vocational guidance counsellors (EVGCs), the programme addresses a wide spectrum of student concerns — from educational challenges and career decisions to emotional stress, bullying, and substance abuse. “This initiative bridges the gap created by the summer break, ensuring students remain on track with their academic and personal development,” said an official from the education department.The programme is part of a broader strategy to provide consistent psychological and academic support throughout the year, as outlined in a departmental circular.To ensure smooth implementation, the education department has issued specific operational guidelines. Regular EVGCs reporting for duty during the summer programme will be granted earned leave in lieu of their service. Guest EVGCs, meanwhile, will be compensated according to existing norms. For transparency and accountability, detailed documentation of each counselling session is mandatory. Counsellors must record the student’s ID, class, nature of concern, discussion points, and whether parental counselling was conducted.School heads have been instructed to compile and submit this data to their respective district counsellor-in-charges, who will consolidate it at the district level and forward it to the Educational and Vocational Guidance Bureau.However, the programme also casts a spotlight on a persistent issue: the critical shortage of school counsellors across Delhi’s govt schools. “In some schools, there’s only one counsellor for every 5,000 students — a far cry from the recommended ratio of one per 250 students,” said a teacher, underlining the urgent need for more trained mental health professionals within the public education system.Another educator voiced concerns about the programme’s feasibility amid the current shortage. “With such a wide gap in counsellor availability, how can a single initiative cover every school effectively? Unless we address this core issue, we can’t expect real impact,” the teacher added.