IIT-G: Iit-g Makes Mental Well-being Counselling Must For Btech Students | Guwahati News – Times of India

GUWAHATI: The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT-G) has asked the newly enrolled BTech students to go through mandatory counselling to get the necessary mental support as they have embarked into the highly competitive race after excelling in JEE (Advanced), considered one of the toughest exams in the world.

The institute has roped in four counsellors and two psychiatrists for the task. This year, IIT-G has admitted 957 BTech students through JEE Advanced 2 2023, out of which 20.4% (196) are girls. “It’s going to be an interaction with counsellors first and wherever required, if the counsellors feel, some of the students will also get the help of psychiatrists. The programme is one-to-one counselling and focused on ensuring mental well-being of the students,” Prof. Anamika Barua, dean of students’ affairs at IIT-G told TOI, on Wednesday.
While mental issues have also led to suicides in IITs in the past, IIT-G said it has undertaken the initiative to identify the students requiring support at the early stage. IIT-G said professional counselling will be provided to the students in need.

“Earlier, group counselling was conducted in IIT-G but many students felt shy and did not want to admit to the problems they were facing. This time, our consellors will interact with each and every student individually,” she said, adding that the counselling sessions will be completed within the next three months.
According to the already existing routine schedule, extended counselling support is offered between 9 am and 8 pm on all working days in IIT-G, offering opportunity to the students to meet counsellors after the class hours, if the need arises. “Ice-breaking sessions are organised in the form of an interactive session with freshers at the hostel level. This is presided over by the student counsellors at Centre for Holistic Wellbeing, IIT-G,” stated a media release.
Officiating director of IIT-G, Prof. PK Iyer, welcomed the 2023 batch of students on Tuesday by conducting orientation ceremony for 2,200 newly enrolled students.