Despite widespread awareness on mental health, only 15.9% of university students covered under a survey have consulted a mental health professional. The lack of information about where to seek help and fear of social judgement have emerged as major barriers, a study by Ketawa – Centre for Behaviour Change, Chandigarh, has found.
The report, “Beyond Awareness: What University Students Know, Feel and Do About Mental Health”, reveals a significant gap between recognising the importance of mental well-being and seeking professional support. While 93.5% of respondents considered mental health as important as physical health, 43.1% said they did not know where to seek help and 31% cited stigma or fear of judgement as a barrier.
Awareness of available support services was also limited, with only 36.2% of students knowing about mental health services in their vicinity.
The findings underline the need for educational institutions to move beyond awareness campaigns and establish accessible, confidential and non-judgemental support systems for students.
The report was released by Satya Pal Jain, Additional Solicitor General of India, in Chandigarh on Wednesday.
Jain said student mental health deserved serious attention from families, educational institutions and society. He said such studies could bring students’ concerns into focus and encourage institutions to translate awareness into practical, accessible and compassionate support.
Davesh Moudgil, former Mayor of Chandigarh and a member of the UT Administrator’s Advisory Council, called for a whole-campus approach to mental well-being. This would involve making support services visible, normalising conversations about mental health, strengthening referral mechanisms and equipping faculty members and peer networks to support students.
Dr Nidhi Jaswal, founder and CEO of Ketawa, said awareness must translate into action, with students knowing where to seek help and feeling safe discussing their concerns without fear of judgement.
The report calls for campuses where mental health support is not limited to the availability of counselling but is embedded in an environment that encourages students to seek help when needed.
Prof Kumool Abbi, Director of the Population Research Centre at Panjab University, and Dr Gaurav Gaur, Associate Professor at the Centre for Social Work, were among those present at the release.