Soaring Mental Health Struggles in Indian Students Surface in IC3 Report; Academic Stress and Career Worries among Key Contributors

The IC3 Institute recently released its Student Suicides Aversion Report-Mental Health & Well-Being, Volume III, during the Annual IC3 Conference & Expo 2025 held in Mumbai. This report, based on responses from 8,542 students across India, sheds light on the pressing mental health issues faced by students.

Academic performance, career anxiety, and homework are identified as the leading causes of stress among students, according to the report. Uncertainty about careers has become the second leading stressor, rising from much lower levels last year. Shockingly, nearly half of the students reported they had never received structured career counselling.

The report also highlights that one in five students rarely feels calm, motivated, or excited. Girls were found to be nearly twice as likely to report persistent sadness compared to boys. Sleep deprivation is another pressing concern, with three out of four Grade 12 students not meeting the recommended 7-8 hours of rest.

Maharashtra consistently reports the highest number of student suicides, and southern states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu also figure in the top five. The Supreme Court has directed CBSE to strengthen school counselling systems and has stressed the need for school-based counselling.

In response to these findings, the IC3 Institute is offering professional development programs for counsellors, educators, and principals to build counselling capacity across schools. The first step of the report aims to drive public conversations that can reduce stigma and use evidence-based data to inform policy reform at national and state levels.

The Annual IC3 Conference & Expo 2025 brought together over 1,500 educators, school leaders, counsellors, and university representatives from 95 countries. The event featured more than 35 expert-led sessions, workshops, and keynote reflections from leaders.

Globally, the recommended ratio for psychologists is three per 100,000 people, but in India, the number is just 0.3. This stark disparity underscores the need for community-driven approaches, with teachers and counsellors needing basic training to identify students in distress.

Almost 40% of students said they did not know where to seek help for mental health issues in their schools. The IC3 Institute's report underscores the urgent need to address this issue and ensure that students have access to the help they need.

The IC3 Movement emphasizes the importance of embedding counselling into education and treats mental well-being as important as academics or physical health. As more students go abroad for higher education, with over 7.6 lakh Indian students doing so in 2024, it is crucial that we address these issues at home as well.

The IC3 Institute's report serves as a call to action for educators, policymakers, and society as a whole to prioritize mental health and well-being in our education system. By working together, we can create a more supportive and nurturing environment for our students, ensuring they have the best possible chance to thrive.

Soaring Mental Health Struggles in Indian Students Surface in IC3 Report; Academic Stress and Career Worries among Key Contributors