New Delhi, October 10, 2022, NCERT Survey 2022: On World Mental Health Day, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) conducted a survey at the middle and high-school levels. Through this survey, it has been found out that 3.8 lakh students across grades, gender and types of schools face frequent mood swings due to a variety of academic activities.
NCERT Survey 2022 – Results
- As many as 81 per cent of the participants reported academics as their cause of anxiety.
- Among these students, 49% identified studies as the major reason for the anxiety while 28% stated examinations and results as the primary reason.
- The survey findings state that aspects like academics, personal independence, social interactions, peer relationships, career concerns, and subject specialisations have been taking a toll on the mental health of students.
- As per the survey, only 50% of students expressed being happy and the rest of them felt a sharp decline in their happiness quotient.
- Based on the report, it has been observed that the secondary-stage students had “relatively lesser social support” to “discuss their feelings” due to the “major developmental changes” during the transition from middle to secondary classes.
- Due to the emphasis on cognitive capacities, self-reflective skills, self-regulation abilities, reasoning, logical thinking, perspective-taking, and expanded socialisation, students find it difficult to cope up.
- Students who belong to the third gender expressed that they feel less confident in terms of physical appearance and the absence of a support system.
Note:
- Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) displayed the highest satisfaction in this regard.
- Students from Kendriya Vidyalaya stated that they feel confident about their physical appearance.
- Students from private schools reported a lack of confidence in their body appearances.
- Some of the students expressed that confiding in their friends and family, and practicing yoga and meditation, were among the most effective survival strategies.
NCERT Survey 2022 – Suggested Recommendations to Students’ Issues
The following solutions have been recommended by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to help students deal with their academic and emotional challenges:
- Integration of emotional literacy into the school curriculum
- Use of “assessment and appraisal” for all school activities
- Nurturing of an ‘environment of care and trust’
NCERT Survey 2022- Other Initiatives
In September 2022, the Manodarpan Cell of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) conducted a survey to understand the perceptions of school students related to their mental health. The details of the survey are as follows:
- The survey reported that at least 73 percent of students are satisfied with their school life, while over 45 percent of students are not satisfied with their body image.
- A decline in satisfaction with personal and school life is seen as students shift from the middle to the secondary stage.
- The survey deduced that yoga and meditation are solutions to help students deal with their stress and anxiety.
- Writing journals has also been reported as a frequently adopted strategy among students for coping with stress.
Note:
Due to the existing academic and societal pressures on students, many of them drop out of school in India. One of the instances is as follows:
- According to a government report in 2021, the dropout rate at the secondary school level in India is more than 17%, while the dropout rate at upper-primary (Class 6 to Class 8) and primary levels is 1.8% and 1.5%.
- The dropout rate is more than 25% in Tripura, Sikkim, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh.
NCERT Survey 2022 – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why was NCERT Survey 2022 conducted?
NCERT conducted the mental health survey to understand students’ mental well-being challenges regarding academics and in general.
What is the main problem faced by the students on the mental health front?
The survey findings hint at “frequent mood swings” as an issue of concern across grades, gender, and types of schools.
What solutions has NCERT given to deal with students’ mental health issues?
The solutions given by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to help students deal with their academic and emotional challenges are the integration of emotional literacy into the school curriculum, the use of “assessment and appraisal” for all school activities, and nurturing of an ‘environment of care and trust’.
