India’s classrooms are meant to be places where children learn, grow and explore their potential. But as the competition for admissions intensifies and the pressure of examinations and expectations around academic performance increase, the mental health of students is taking a toll. On Children’s Day, ETEducation looks at how childhood is gradually becoming more about meeting expectations than enjoying the process of learning, and what schools, parents and policymakers can do to change this.As per the latest Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 14,488 students died by suicide in 2024 (8.5% of all suicides in the country). Beyond the numbers, this raises an uncomfortable but important question: Are children being pushed so hard to meet expectations that we are losing sight of what childhood should really be about?For millions of children today, their childhood is being defined by the examination calendar, competitive entrance tests, coaching classes, performance rankings and the sheer pressure to do well. The very thing that should be a source of inspiration and motivation to learn and achieve can in some cases become a source of enormous stress, anxiety and fear of failure.The problem is not ambition itself, but the environment in which children are expected to fulfil it. A poor examination result, an unsuccessful entrance test or falling short of expectations should never make a child feel that their future, identity or worth is diminished.
Academic Excellence or Mental Health: What to Prioritise?
India’s education system has made huge strides in terms of access to education and the opportunities it provides for students. The increased focus on measurable academic outcomes has in turn led to a greater degree of competition among the young.Student suicides are also concentrated in a few states, highlighting the need to examine regional patterns and local pressures. Maharashtra, UP, MP and Tamil Nadu have accounted for 43% of reported suicides. While these figures highlight regional concentration, they do not establish a single cause, underlining the need to examine the different academic, social and economic pressures students face. From school examinations to high-stakes entrance tests, students often find themselves navigating multiple expectations at an age when they should also have the freedom to explore interests, develop friendships, participate in sports and discover their individual strengths.Deepa Shetty, Principal at Billabong High International School, Mulund, feels that schools have to first and foremost recognise the competitive world that our students are living in and have to create spaces where they can have the experience of both success and failure without fear.”Schools and their faculty can create a balance between academics and mental health by acknowledging and accepting the fierce competitive environment that students of today face. It is important for schools to create safe spaces for children to achieve success and experience failure in equal measure,” she said.A similar view was shared by Aditi Mukherjee, Principal, Billabong High International School, Amanora, who believes academic excellence and emotional well-being should not be viewed as competing priorities.”Academic excellence and emotional well-being are not a polarity; they are mutually reinforcing dimensions of any meaningful education. High expectations must be accompanied by thoughtful guidance and creative environments,” Mukherjee said.She emphasised that learning must extend beyond conventional classroom instruction to encourage curiosity, creativity, experimentation and collaboration, ultimately helping students develop independent thinking.
Integrating Mental Health System in Everyday Schooling
Despite the increasing awareness of student mental health, access to proper counselling and emotional support is still a significant issue for schools, particularly those with limited resources.School counsellors are a vital part of the system in terms of helping students with their emotional problems, exam anxiety, peer pressure and so on.Shetty stressed that poor institutional support can leave students looking for help in unsafe places. For schools that simply don’t have the resources, she suggested the training of senior teachers to mentor smaller cohorts of students, providing them with academic as well as social, emotional and physical support.”Access to counselling and mentorship should be treated as a right of the student rather than a privilege or obligation,” she said.Mukherjee also emphasised the importance of looking at mental health from a wider perspective within schools. It has to go beyond counselling sessions and awareness days and be present in everyday interactions.”Children need trusted adults who look beyond behaviour to understand the emotion that drives it. The true purpose of education is not merely to shape compliant learners, but to nurture emotionally secure, resilient and yet risk-taking individuals,” she said.
How states are responding to the student mental health challenge
Several states have proposed school-based mental health initiatives.Gujarat has recently introduced a framework to help students in Classes 9-12 with their mental health and prevent suicide. This includes having School Wellness Teams within affiliated schools. Schools with 100 students or more will have counsellors, psychologists or trained social workers.Haryana is looking to implement its SAATH project in 200 government schools for students in Classes 6th to 12th and will provide a network of trained teachers, counsellors, parents and students. This will include identifying when students are struggling with their emotions and referring them to professionals.Delhi is also preparing to implement a full mental well-being policy. The proposed policy will cover individuals below 25 years of age and will be implemented within government, government-aided, private schools, higher education, children with special needs and those not within education.Other states have begun to try to include well-being within the classroom. Rajasthan has started the Khushishala programme which is looking at developing emotional resilience within government schools. This is for students in Classes 1-5 and has been rolled out to around 1500 government schools. Kerala has the Aksharam Arogyam programme, which will promote health awareness and overall physical/mental health.The legal and regulatory framework also recognises the need for a supportive learning environment. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, prohibits physical punishment and mental harassment, while Section 29 calls for learning environments that keep children free from fear, trauma and anxiety. In February 2026, CBSE also directed affiliated schools to conduct mental health training for teaching and non-teaching staff at least twice a year, sensitise parents and periodically review examination patterns to reduce the emphasis on marks and ranks.These initiatives indicate a growing recognition that student well-being must become an integral part of education rather than remain an issue addressed only during examinations or in times of crisis.
Society must rethink the meaning of success
The responsibility of protecting childhood cannot rest with schools and governments alone. Many homes place great emphasis on academic achievement, and this often ties into how financially secure they will be in the future and what social status they will have. While parental aspirations often come from a place of care and concern, excessive expectations can unintentionally communicate that a child’s value depends on marks and achievements.Mukherjee feels adults need to rethink how they expect children to behave, be disciplined and conform. Every child will develop at their own pace.On Children’s Day, she encouraged parents, teachers and policy makers to give children the space to enjoy their childhood without constantly measuring their achievements.Echoing the importance of protecting childhood, Rima Singh, Head of DPS International, Gurgaon, said children must be nurtured in an environment that encourages curiosity, creativity and character development.”Children are not just the future of our nation; they are the present, and we must nurture them with love and values,” Singh said.She emphasised that every child is unique and deserves an environment where curiosity is encouraged, creativity is celebrated and education extends beyond classrooms to shape compassionate citizens.
Beyond awareness: Building an education system that listens
As we celebrate Children’s Day in India, we, as a society, need to take steps to ensure that the slogans and awareness are translated into actions.Schools must be equipped with easily accessible counselling services, regular teacher training, age-appropriate social skills and emotional intelligence education. The assessment procedures should be structured to reduce the unnecessary pressure on the students, allowing them to learn without the pressure of failure.The government must set realistic timelines, provide sufficient funds and regularly monitor that the mental health initiatives are being implemented. Independent evaluations and taking feedback from the students can help us see if they are making a real impact.Parents should be encouraged to be non-judgmental, stop comparing and understand how important emotional well-being is.Ultimately, the purpose of education is not simply to produce high achievers, but to nurture confident, compassionate and emotionally resilient individuals. A child’s worth cannot be measured by marks, rankings, examination results or admission into a prestigious institution.
