Up live news 24 uttar pradesh
Sampadak Praveen Saini
Lucknow: Sarojini Nagar MLA Dr. Rajeshwar Singh participated on Saturday in the Principal’s Conclave–2026 organised at the School of Management Sciences (SMS), located at Sultanpur Road, Gosainganj. The central theme of this prestigious conference was “Mental Health and Well-Being of Students and Educators: Creating a Supportive Ecosystem.”
Addressing the conclave, Dr. Rajeshwar Singh stated that mental health is not an optional component of education, but the core foundation of sustainable and effective learning. He said that India today operates the largest education system in the world, with 248 million students, 1.472 million schools, and 9.8 million teachers in school education, while 43.3 million students are enrolled in higher education across more than 40,000 institutions. He noted that the journey from a literacy rate of merely 10% at the time of Independence to nearly 80% today reflects the dedicated and commendable role played by teachers, principals, and educational institutions.
He further observed that despite rapid expansion marked by 82% adoption of hybrid learning, a USD 10.4 billion EdTech market, approximately 6.5% of GDP investment in education, and fast-paced integration of AI and digital tools, mental health challenges have intensified significantly.
Citing data from WHO India, the NCERT Mental Health Survey, The Lancet Psychiatry, and UNICEF India, Dr. Singh expressed concern that three out of five students suffer from anxiety, nearly 70% face academic stress, and over 50% show early signs of depression. Teachers are also under pressure, with one in four unable to practise weekly self-care and 55% affected by work-related stress, leading to burnout and growing dissatisfaction.
Emphasising the decisive role of principals, Dr. Rajeshwar Singh said that while teachers shape classrooms, principals shape the entire institutional ecosystem—making it humane, balanced, and supportive. He described wellness calendars, trained counsellors, and safe platforms for dialogue as essential requirements of modern education.
The MLA also appreciated the presence of the Chief Guest, former IAS officer and Vice-Chancellor of Sushant University, Jai Shankar Mishra, and stated that his inspiring presence and administrative, literary, and academic vision left a deep impact on all participants.
Dr. Rajeshwar Singh congratulated the entire SMS College, Lucknow team for organising this meaningful event and expressed gratitude to Shri Anand K. Sinha (Secretary, AKWL), Mr. A. K. Mathur, Dr. Dharmendra Singh, Dr. Ashish Bhatnagar, Dr. B. R. Singh, Dr. Jagdish Singh, Dr. V. B. Singh, Mr. Surendra Srivastava, Dr. P. K. Singh, Mr. Rahul Awasthi, Mr. Aditya Pratap Singh, and all other distinguished guests for their valuable contributions.