Students applying for admission on SAMS can now seek help for mental health issues
1
2
Bhubaneswar: The state govt has introduced a helpline on the Student Academic Management System (SAMS) website for students suffering from mental health issues. As per the new feature, students can call a toll-free number to consult with mental health experts.
As most students log in to this website to apply for admission or to appear for an entrance test, the govt has selected SAMS during the admission session to address mental health issues amid a spurt in student suicides.
SAMS conducts the online admission process for different courses offered by educational institutions under the jurisdiction of the school and mass education department, higher education department, skill development and technical education department, sports and youth services department and the Odia language and literature department.
If a user clicks on the SAMS website's windows dedicated to admission into courses, including degree, PG, ITI and diploma (polytechnic), a pop-up window appears with a message: 'Important mental health support announcement'.
"The principal/head of the institution is requested to actively promote awareness among students, faculty and other stakeholders about the availability of mental health support services through platforms such as Tele-MANAS (Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States). The
Tele-MANAS helpline
numbers - 14416 and 1800-891-4416 - offer free, 24/7 tele-counselling services, ensuring that students have access to professional mental health support whenever they need it," read the govt message.
Biswa Ranjan Mishra, professor and head of psychiatry department at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, said, "This is a good step to sensitise students in this manner. Many students do not know about the helpline numbers and the whole process of seeking help from an expert. Such an initiative by Tele-MANAS will make students aware of the support system."
He added, "Early signs of depression include social withdrawal, absenteeism from class, a steep decline in academic performance, substance abuse and irritability in students. If students are experiencing such symptoms, they should call the 24/7 helpline number and talk to an expert and seek counselling. If needed, the tele-consultation service will refer the students to a nearby facility for further assistance."
Amrit Pattojoshi, a city-based psychiatrist, said peer group support can help a student overcome anxiety and depression. "Anyone suffering from a mental health illness can feel hopeless, helpless, worthless and useless. They cannot feel connected in a social gathering. During this time, they should seek help and consult a psychiatrist," he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
3 days ago
- News18
India's Mental Health Conversation Has Shifted But Rural Barriers Persist: CEO Of Deepika Padukone's NGO
A watershed moment, according to Anisha Padukone, was in 2014 when her sister Deepika Padukone shared her personal battle with depression on national television India's mental healthcare remains deeply inadequate in rural and underserved areas despite a decade of growing awareness and policy reform, Anisha Padukone, sister of Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone and CEO of the mental health NGO LiveLoveLaugh, told News18 in an interview. Anisha told News18 that India has witnessed a 'significant shift" in how mental health is perceived and discussed, but warns that deeper systemic gaps must still be addressed. 'Studies undertaken by LLL and our experience on the ground show a significant shift in the perception of mental health in India over the last 10 years," she says. 'This change has been driven by a combination of increased awareness, advocacy, and policy reform." In fact, she says, there are encouraging signs to prove what was once a taboo subject has gradually become part of the public discourse. 'That said, stigma continues to be a significant barrier, particularly in rural India. Many still view mental illness as a personal failing rather than a health condition, which keeps people from seeking support." A watershed moment, she said, was in 2014 when Deepika Padukone shared her personal battle with depression on national television. 'That moment sparked a nationwide conversation and helped break the silence around mental illness… It also laid the foundation for the creation of The LiveLoveLaugh Foundation by Deepika in 2015, which I now lead." Even in urban India, she believes, mental health programmes in workplaces must go beyond tokenism. 'Benchmarking employee mental health benefits and workplace practices is crucial." Talking about the work done by her NGO, she believes that through public campaigns like Dobara Poocho and #NotAshamed, LiveLoveLaugh has tried to ensure mental health conversations cut across regions and class divides. But challenges remain. Policy Push and Gaps The Mental Healthcare Act of 2017 has been hailed as a landmark law, decriminalising suicide and mandating insurance parity. Yet, Anisha emphasises that 'the current budget allocation for mental health is insufficient to address the growing demand for care". 'Increased investment in resources, training, and infrastructure is needed. Professional standardisation is also needed, with a national body to regulate and certify mental health professionals to ensure individuals receive consistent and quality care." Anisha, who is a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council for Mental Health, pointed out that the 'mental health services are concentrated in urban areas, leaving those in underserved regions with limited access". She believes that India needs a comprehensive national mental health strategy to ensure coordinated efforts and efficient resource allocation. 'Tele-MANAS is a great start," she says, referring to the government's multilingual counselling platform. 'But we need to move from awareness to systematic, well-funded, and culturally sensitive mental health systems." The Deepika Factor Deepika Padukone, who founded the foundation in 2015, remains closely involved with its work through awareness campaigns, rural mental health work, and fundraising, Anisha said. After her candid interview on national television in 2014, where she openly shared her own mental health journey, Deepika established the foundation in 2015, motivated by the belief that 'no life should be lost to mental illness". 'She remains deeply involved in shaping the Foundation's awareness campaigns, programme growth, advocacy efforts, and rural mental health work—regularly visiting communities to highlight the need for accessible care," she said, recalling that her sister has led initiatives such as Dobara Poocho and #NotAshamed, championed student well-being through platforms like Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Pariksha Pe Charcha, and brings her influence and cross-sector experience to drive the foundation's growth, including fundraising. What's next? Looking ahead, LiveLoveLaugh has three strategic goals: scale rural care, support mentally resilient workplaces, and push for policy and insurance reform. The foundation also hopes to galvanise CSR and philanthropic capital for scalable mental health programmes. 'Building on a decade of grassroots impact, LiveLoveLaugh will focus on expanding our model to thousands of rural communities," she says. top videos View all One of the more sobering takeaways is how cultural perceptions can delay or derail treatment. 'Mental health challenges are just as prevalent in rural areas," she says, 'but they're often compounded by supernatural beliefs or societal shame." Even so, she insists, interest in mental health is growing—everywhere. 'The need now is to bridge the gap by making mental health care more accessible, culturally sensitive, and grounded in the realities of rural life." tags : Actor Deepika Padukone Anisha Padukone mental health news18 specials Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 05, 2025, 10:22 IST News india India's Mental Health Conversation Has Shifted But Rural Barriers Persist: CEO Of Deepika Padukone's NGO
The Hindu
4 days ago
- The Hindu
Special Sub Inspector ends life in Theni
A Special Sub-Inspector of Police Saravanan 51, was found dead in Cumbum in Theni district on Wednesday. It was said that he was suffering from certain health issues for some time. The Cumbum North police sent the body for postmortem and registered a case. (Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State's health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416, Sneha's suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050 and Speak2Us helpline at 9375493754.)
The Hindu
4 days ago
- The Hindu
Farmer attempts to end life on SP's office premises in Dharmapuri
A 52-year-old farmer attempted to end his life inside the compound of Superintendent of Police's office in Dharmapuri, during the grievances redress day meeting on Wednesday. The attempt was made by Jayaraman of Rajathoppu village in Nallampalli, over his land deed that was pledged by his brother for loan. Jayaraman had handed over his land documents to his younger brother Selvaraj for a loan of ₹10 lakh. Selvaraj had pledged the document, and gave ₹3 lakh to Jayaraman and kept ₹7 lakh to himself. Further, he was delaying to retrieve the document despite Jayaraman's pleas. Jayaraman had approached Adhiyamankottai police seeking their help to retrieve the documents from Selvaraj. S.S. Maheshwaran, Superintendent of Police, Dharmapuri, told The Hindu Selvaraj had approached Adhiyamankottai police asking for his land documents to be retrieved. Police summoned Jayaraman's brother Selvaraj, who was then given time to return the two land documents. The first document was returned on May 2, 2025, while the second document was to be returned by Selvaraj on June 3, 2025. 'His own brother had pledged the document and was clearly unable to retrieve it. Yesterday was the second date given by the police. Today, he came to the office to petition us. The petition was handed over to us, and then he attempted to end his life.' Asked, why did the police not register an FIR on the complaint, said, 'it would be a civil suit in which police have no say. If we had filed an FIR, then Jayaraman would not have got his document. He only wanted the document to be returned and did not want any case to be filed against his brother. That was why a CSR was registered.' Jayaraman was admitted to Dharmapuri government medical college hospital with 60% burns. 'JM has taken his statement, and if the statement specifies Selvaraj as the reason for the abetment to suicide attempt, then we will file a criminal case,' Mr. Maheshwaran said. Mr. Maheshwaran also added that legal processes were time consuming and the public should be patient without giving way to emotions. (Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State's health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416. and Sneha's suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.)
