CBSE, AIIMS to host virtual mental health series for schools from October 4-10

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is launching a week-long Virtual Mental Health Series for school principals, teachers, counselors, parents, and students of CBSE-affiliated schools, as per a report by The Times of India.

The initiative, organised in collaboration with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, will run from October 4 to 10, 2025, coinciding with World Mental Health Week and concluding on World Mental Health Day (October 10).

According to CBSE, the series has been designed to promote psychological well-being, reduce stigma, and equip school communities with practical tools for resilience.

Focus and objectives

The programme will tackle pressing concerns in school mental health with three broad goals:

• Create awareness and break stigma around mental health issues.
  
  

• Share actionable strategies for managing stress and emotional challenges.
  
  

• Encourage sustained, positive practices for psychological well-being within schools.
  
  

Sessions will be led by psychiatrists and experts from AIIMS’ Department of Psychiatry and Counselling Services.

Programme highlights

• Format: Virtual sessions on Webex, limited to 1,000 participants per day (first-come, first-served).
  
  

• Duration: Daily between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. IST (approx. 45 minutes–1 hour).
  
  

• Content: Evidence-based discussions tailored to educators, parents, and students.
  
  

Schedule

• October 4, 2025 – Prof Dr M Srinivas, Director, AIIMS: Health, Nutrition and Emotional Health
  
  

• October 5, 2025 – Himanshu Gupta, Secretary, CBSE: How to Tackle Stress
  
  

• October 6, 2025 – Prof Dr Pratap Sharan, Head, Dept of Psychiatry, AIIMS: Positive Mental Health
  
  

• October 7, 2025 – Prof Dr Nand Kumar, Dept of Psychiatry, AIIMS: Happy Gut, Healthy Brain
  
  

• October 8, 2025 – Prof Dr Rajesh Sagar, Dept of Psychiatry, AIIMS: High Risk Behaviour in Adolescents
  
  

• October 10, 2025 – Dr Deepika Dahima, Scientist C, Dept of Psychiatry, AIIMS: Between Screens and Selves: Resilience in Digital Age
  
  

The initiative comes amid growing concerns over academic stress, anxiety, high-risk behaviour, and digital dependency among students. 

CBSE noted that the sessions are intended to make expert-backed mental health resources accessible nationwide, providing school communities with direct guidance from medical professionals.

Interested participants can join the live sessions via the official CBSE link provided for the programme.