Inaugural Meeting of Advisory Committee of University Mental Health and Counselling Unit, DIQA Held at University of Jammu

The inaugural meeting of the Advisory Committee of the University Mental Health and Counselling Unit, Directorate of Internal Quality Assurance, University of Jammu, was held under the chairmanship of Prof. Umesh Rai, Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu, with the objective of strengthening and further institutionalizing mental health and counselling support for students, faculty and staff of the University.

The meeting brought together distinguished experts including Dr. Chand Trehan, Advisor, PSEB; Dr. Abhishek Chowhan, Senior Consultant, Government Psychiatric College, Jammu and Dr. Roopika Jandial, Assistant Professor, Government Psychiatric College, Jammu who have been associated with the Advisory Committee as experts in the field. Their expertise and guidance are expected to contribute significantly towards developing a comprehensive and responsive mental health support framework at the University.

At the outset, Dr. Ginny Dogra, Director DIQA and Officiating Director, University Mental Health & Counselling Unit welcomed all the guests and introduced the External members. Ms. Shweta Jain, Mental Health Advocate and Counsellor, University of Jammu, made a detailed presentation highlighting the mandate and functioning of the Unit, the counselling services being provided, emerging mental health concerns among the student community and the initiatives undertaken to promote emotional well-being and psychological resilience. The Mental Health Policy of the University and Terms of Reference document was deliberated and approved by the Advisory Committee. Further, Ms. Jain also shared the campus wide road map in line with the UGC guidelines.

Chairing the meeting, Prof. Umesh Rai, Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu, emphasized the need to create a supportive, empathetic and inclusive campus environment where students and members of the University community feel comfortable seeking professional help whenever required. He stressed that mental health and emotional well-being are integral to academic success, personal development and overall quality of life.

Prof. Rai underscored the importance of adopting a proactive and preventive approach to mental health, with greater emphasis on awareness, early identification of concerns, timely counselling and appropriate referral mechanisms. He also highlighted the need to destigmatize conversations around mental health and encourage members of the University community to seek support without hesitation.

The experts shared their observations and suggestions on strengthening counselling services, improving outreach and awareness programmes, developing mechanisms for early intervention, and enhancing collaboration with professional mental health practitioners and specialized institutions.

The Advisory Committee deliberated upon various measures aimed at making the University Mental Health and Counselling Unit more accessible, effective and responsive to the evolving needs of the University community. The discussions also emphasized regular awareness programmes, sensitization initiatives and capacity-building activities for students, faculty and staff.

The meeting was attended by Prof. Yash Pal, Chairperson, Advisory Committee, University Health Centre; Dr. Neeraj Sharma, Registrar, Dr. Guneet Singh Sudan, Director, Centre for IT Enabled Services & Emerging Technologies (Special Invitee); Dr. Pallavi Sachdeva, Department of Lifelong Learning and Dr. Sarita Sood, Department of Psychology.

The meeting concluded with a commitment to further strengthen the University's institutional framework for mental health promotion, counselling and psychological well-being, reaffirming the University of Jammu's resolve to foster a healthy, supportive and student-centric campus environment.