Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The District Level Monitoring Committee (DLMC) on Mental Health and Prevention of Suicide in Higher Education Institutions reviewed mental health initiatives at BITS Pilani and outlined a series of measures aimed at strengthening student well-being during a meeting chaired by Additional Collector-II of South Goa and Head of Kushavati District, Ramesh Gaonkar.
The meeting was attended by Director of Higher Education Bhushan Savaikar, officials from the Departments of Health, Social Welfare, Law, Tribal Welfare and Technical Education, representatives of the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour (IPHB), and the Director and faculty members of BITS Pilani.
During the meeting, the committee reviewed seminars conducted on Emotional Intelligence and discussed additional measures to enhance mental health support for students.
It was decided that monthly health camps would be organised at BITS Pilani from August onwards. The institute’s management informed the committee that attendance at the upcoming health camp would be mandatory for first-year students. The chairperson directed that such camps be conducted on a monthly basis.
The committee also resolved to make sports activities mandatory for first-year students as part of efforts to promote physical and mental well-being.
In addition, a marathon will be organised on October 10 to mark World Mental Health Day and raise awareness about mental health issues among students and the wider community.
Gaonkar directed all concerned departments to closely monitor and ensure effective implementation of the decisions taken during the meeting. He emphasised the need for regular review and coordinated action to strengthen mental health support systems and promote the overall well-being of students in higher education institutions.
