Andhra Pradesh integrates mental health and career guidance into school curriculum

A new phase in Andhra Pradesh’s school education has begun with a focus on students’ mental well-being and career development.

The state has rolled out a training initiative aimed at equipping counselors to support both emotional and professional growth among adolescents.

The seven-day residential program for Project Management Unit (PMU) members and district counselors under the Mental Health and Career Guidance Project began at Maris Stella College in Vijayawada, being organized jointly by Samagra Shiksha, EdCIL, and UNICEF.

M R Prasanna Kumar, Assistant State Project Director, Samagra Shiksha, said the state government is committed to nurturing emotionally strong and career-ready students.

“AI is redefining how businesses operate and how professionals grow. At Career247, our purpose is to make high-quality, affordable education accessible to every learner who aspires to upskill. We want people to move beyond theory and use these technologies to solve problems, innovate, and create opportunities,” he said.

He added that 255 counselors have already been appointed, and plans are underway to assign one counselor in each of the 679 mandals.

Calling the project a milestone for the education system, he said strengthening mental health and career guidance networks across schools is a major priority for Samagra Shiksha.

M V Krishna Reddy, Director, State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), said that trained counselors must play a proactive role in addressing behavioral shifts among adolescents.

“Students from classes 9 to 12 go through a critical phase, where proper career guidance and emotional mentoring are essential to help them focus on their strengths and make informed life choices,” he noted.

Indla Ramasubba Reddy, senior psychiatrist and director of Indlas Hospitals, said growing emotional distress among youth needs immediate attention.

He pointed to increasing cases of anxiety, addiction, relationship stress, and disappointment in love, adding that these are rooted in deep psychological and social changes influenced by media, peer pressure, and digital habits.

“These are not merely disciplinary problems but reflections of deeper psychological and social issues,” he said.

He also underlined that while parents and elders offer affection and advice, professional counseling is crucial. Without it, he warned, adolescents may develop guilt or turn rebellious.

Experts from UNICEF, NIMHANS, Leadership for Equity, and MHITR also participated in the program, emphasizing that building emotional resilience and career readiness among students is essential to creating a balanced and future-ready generation.