Gujarat makes counsellors, wellness teams mandatory in Class 9-12 schools

The Gujarat government has made mental health and suicide-prevention measures mandatory in schools that teach Classes 9 to 12, according to reports on 1 November 2026. The state Education Department has added Regulation 16(A), with detailed rules in an appendix, to the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Regulations, 1974. Every such school must now set up a School Wellness Team each year, and schools with 100 or more students must have at least one qualified counsellor, psychologist or social worker trained in child and adolescent mental health. The rules follow Supreme Court guidelines on students' mental health.

What was there before: these steps were not written into the state's school regulations as mandatory duties, so whether a school offered counselling or trained its teachers depended on its own choices.

What changes now: mental health becomes a legal duty for schools, not an optional extra. A wellness team gives each school a named group responsible for students' emotional well-being. The counsellor rule means that most large schools will need a trained professional on staff, while smaller schools must at least know where to send a student who needs help. Twice-yearly training means teachers and other staff should be better able to notice changes in a student's behaviour and respond.

The ban on separating students by marks addresses a common source of pressure. Grouping children into "toppers" and "weak" sections can label them in front of their classmates. The rules also call for regular wellness activities such as yoga, sports and art, and say any sign of self-harm must be acted on immediately, with support for students, staff and families after any suicide.

Classes 9 to 12 are the years of board examinations and entrance-test preparation, when academic pressure on Indian students is often highest. One report says the framework draws on NCERT's UMMEED guidelines for schools, which set out how to recognise and respond to students at risk.

What comes next: schools will have to recruit counsellors or set up referral links, form their wellness teams and schedule staff training. How strictly the department monitors compliance, especially in smaller private schools, will decide how much difference the rules make.

Gujarat's new school mental health rules Requirement | Who must comply School Wellness Team every year | All schools with Classes 9-12 Counsellor, psychologist or social worker | Schools with 100 or more students Referral arrangements, including Tele-MANAS | Schools with fewer than 100 students Staff training twice a year | All teaching and non-teaching staff No grouping by marks; confidential records | All covered schools

Short-term: Schools must hire or arrange counsellors and set up wellness teams, adding to costs, particularly for smaller private schools.

Long-term: If implemented well, students should find it easier to get help early, and schools should become better at preventing crises rather than reacting to them.

Who is affected: Students in Classes 9 to 12 and their parents, teachers and school managements in Gujarat, counsellors and psychologists, and district health services.

If you or someone you know needs help, call Tele-MANAS on 14416.

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