Here's how the new CBSE Dost For Life app will help students, parents deal with mental trauma amid the pandemic

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has launched a new app, as part of its new feature for the annual counselling programme to start from May 10. Launched on Friday, the CBSE Dost For Life app will help students, parents help deal with mental trauma, maintain psycho-social wellness amid the prevailing pandemic situation. The app is available on Google Play Store and is free to download. It will mainly focus on students from Classes 9 to 12.

The board had already been providing counselling through a toll-free number across the country.
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Here's how the Dost For Life will help in this time of distress:

The students and parents can choose any of the two time slots: 9.30 am to 1.30 pm or 1.30 pm to 5.30 pm and connect through a Chatbox as per their convenience. Through these counselling sessions, the new app will simultaneously cater to students and parents from CBSE-affiliated schools in different geographies across the world. The live counselling sessions will be conducted free of cost, thrice a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday by the trained counsellors/principals. This year there are 83 volunteers out of which 66 are in India and 17 located in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Nepal, Oman, Kuwait, Japan, and the USA.

The app will also provide information on
-Suggestive Course guide after 10+2
-Tips on mental health and well-being
-Corona Guide - (Daily Protocol, Learning from Home, Self-Care, FAQs)

CBSE has also prepared educative material on social, emotional, and behavioural issues such as exam anxiety, internet addiction disorder, depression, specific learning disability, substance use disorder, aggression, and life skills to sensitise students and masses. This can be accessed at the website cbse.nic.in and the YouTube channel of CBSE.

The board has also brought out a manual that discusses the interplay of school, family, and community for the psychosocial well-being of students at different developmental stages. It has dedicated chapters on dealing with the current pandemic and COVID-appropriate behaviours. The manual is available at cbse.nic.in.