CISCE to hold national mental health conclave with 16 lakh school students

The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) will launch a three-tier national initiative on student mental health. The programme will engage nearly 16 lakh students from Classes 6 to 12.

The initiative will focus on mental health, emotional well-being, resilience and supportive school environments.

The CISCE Student Mental Health and Well-Being Conclave 2026 will bring together more than 3,300 CISCE-affiliated schools and 32,000 teachers. The initiative will begin with school-level discussions before moving to regional conclaves and a national forum, with the aim of turning student experiences and concerns into recommendations for schools and



policymakers.

The initiative will coincide with World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2026. It will culminate in the CISCE National Student Mental Health Conclave 2026, scheduled from November 20 to 22 at the CISCE Centre of Excellence in Hyderabad.

“Student well-being cannot be addressed through isolated interventions or occasional conversations. We need to create a culture in which students are heard, their experiences are understood, and their voices shape how schools think about mental health, resilience, and support. This Conclave is our effort to take that conversation from individual classrooms to a national platform,” said Dr Joseph Emmanuel, Chief Executive and Secretary, CISCE.