Tag: UPSC

Meet Aditya Srivastava, the Lucknow boy who topped UPSC civil services exam 2023

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) declared the results for the Civil Services Examination 2023 on Tuesday. As many as 1,016 candidates have been recommended for appointment to government services. Aditya Srivastava, 26, from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, has secured the top position in the esteemed examination.

Aditya Srivastava’s academic journey has been nothing short of exceptional. He completed his schooling at CMS Lucknow’s Aliganj branch, where he reportedly achieved an impressive score of 95%.

His academic excellence continued at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur), where he pursued a dual degree in B.Tech and M.Tech. Reports say he also earned a gold medal during his time at IIT.

After completing his education at IIT, Srivastava started his professional journey, spending 15 months at Goldman Sachs. However, this experience seemed to have sparked a desire to contribute to the society.

Srivastava’s decision to pursue a career in the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) was not a hasty one. In a mock interview uploaded on YouTube, he shared that his initial focus was on financial security, which led him to his corporate job.

However, he soon realised that money was not the ultimate motivator for him. The Civil Services, with its potential to bring about positive change on the grassroots level and its framework that allows for innovation, appealed to him greatly.

His story serves as a ray of hope and inspiration for those aspiring to join the civil services. His exceptional academic record, coupled with his strong desire to bring about positive change, makes him a deserving recipient of the top rank.

What makes Srivastava’s achievement even more worthy is the fact that he had previously attempted the Civil Services Exam, securing the 236th rank in the 2022 UPSC CSE and opting for the Indian Police Service (IPS).

Currently, he is undergoing training at the National Police Academy in Hyderabad.

His dedication and perseverance, combined with the constant support of his family (his father, Ajay Srivastava, is an assistant audit officer at the Comptroller and Auditor General of India), have undoubtedly played a pivotal role in propelling him to the top rank in UPSC 2023.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

UPSC Civil Services (Main) 2023 result out, Aditya Srivastava is the all India topper

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) declared the Civil Services (Main) examination 2023 results on April 16. Candidates can check their results and rank on upsc.gov.in and upsconline.nic.in.

As many as 1,016 candidates have been recommended for appointment to different central government services. Aditya Srivastava, Animesh Pradhan, and Donuru Ananya Reddy have bagged the top three ranks.

Here’s the list of UPSC CSE 2023 top 10 rank holders

Rank 1: Aditya Srivastava

Rank 2: Animesh Pradhan

Rank 3: Donuru Ananya Reddy

Rank 4: P K Sidharth Ramkumar

Rank 5: Ruhani

Rank 6: Srishti Dabas

Rank 7: Anmol Rathore

Rank 8: Ashish Kumar

Rank 9: Nausheen

Rank 10: Aishwaryam Prajapati

Here are the steps to check your result

-Visit the official website upsc.gov.in.
– Click on the PDF link alongside ‘Civil Service Examinations 2023 Final Results’
– A new window will open with the PDF with the candidates who cleared the exam.
– Download the PDF and keep a printout for future reference.

Meanwhile, the candidature of 355 recommended candidates has been kept provisional, UPSC said.

“Appointment to the various Services will be made according to the number of vacancies available with due consideration to the provisions contained in the Rules for the Examination,” it added.

The Civil Services Exam is conducted annually in three stages — preliminary, main and interview — by the UPSC to select officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), among others.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Former bureaucrats call Sanjeev Sanyal’s comments on civil services exam preparation ‘absurd’

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Former bureaucrats on Wednesday described as “absurd” and “avoidable” the comments of Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) member Sanjeev Sanyal that five to eight years of preparation for the civil services exam by lakhs of students is a “waste of youthful energy”.

They said millions aspire to be part of the sought-after government services to contribute towards nation-building.

Sanyal has said that one should only attempt UPSC or other such examinations if one wants to become an administrator.

“As mentioned, it (is) perfectly fine to attempt the UPSC or other such exams, but only if the person wants to be an administrator. The problem is that lakhs of people are spending 5-8 years repeatedly doing this exam as a ‘way of life’. This is such a waste of youthful energy,” he said in a series of posts on social media platform X.

Reacting to his comments, former IAS officer G Sundaram said, “It is absurd. India is a vast country. We are interested in a united India and that is why Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, (the first home minister of Independent India) created these services such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS), among others. It is all working well.” There may be certain deficiencies which can of course be rectified, he said.

Sundaram, a 1962-batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre, who superannuated as the Tourism Secretary, said, “His (Sanyal’s) comments were completely avoidable.” The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the civil services examination every year in three stages — preliminary, main and personality test (interview) — to select officers for different central services.

S K Sarkar, former secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training, said Sanyal’s assertion was avoidable.

“It is not a waste of youthful energy or resources. I don’t agree with his assertion,” said the 1979-batch IAS officer of West Bengal cadre.

He said a lot of people aspire to be part of the government services. “These are the best services in India to contribute towards nation-building and development. His comments were avoidable.” Former IAS officer Sanjeev Chopra said Sanyal is entitled to his views but to be critical of youths who wish to be civil servants is not in good taste.

“Not everyone aspires to be an Ambani. People also want to be poets, painters and thespians. Many want to work for the government. And in the government there is no job more fulfilling than a district assignment, or a posting as a JS (joint secretary) in which you cover the entire domain,” he said.

“Sanyal is of course entitled to his views, but to be critical of young women and men who wish to be civil servants is not in good taste,” said Chopra, a 1985-batch IAS officer, who was also the Director of Mussoorie-based Lal Bahadur Shastri of National Academy of Administration — the country’s premier training institute for civil servants.

Another former bureaucrat, Kiran Puri, said preparing for the civil services examination “is not a waste of youthful energy”.

“Those who are academically strong and knowledgeable, they only join the civil services. Civil servants are needed to run this country,” the 1983-batch Central Secretariat Service officer said.

If talented people do not devote their energy and attention towards becoming a part of the civil services then how will the nation’s development be ensured, she posed.

“We need the best of minds to be part of the civil services to contribute to the growth of the country and to ensure further ease of governance,” said Puri, who served as the Joint Secretary in the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances under the Union Personnel Ministry.

Former chief election commissioner S Y Quraishi, however, partially agreed with Sanyal’s comments.

“He is partially right. Young people are putting in seven to eight years preparing for the civil services examination. Some people leave lucrative jobs and hefty salaries to be a part of these services,” he said.

Quraishi, a former IAS officer, suggested limiting the number of attempts being provided to appear in the civil services examination.

“There are too many attempts being provided for the civil services examination. It can be limited to a maximum of three attempts as it was earlier. There may be some extra attempts for people belonging to scheduled caste, scheduled tribe and other backward classes,” he said.

Serving IPS officer Pankaj Chaudhary also disagreed with Sanyal’s comments.

“Civil services exam and the UPSC act as the role model for many youngsters. These comments were completely avoidable,” said Chaudhary, a 2009-batch IPS officer of Rajasthan cadre.

He said the entire process of civil services examination is transparent and provides a level playing field.

“I was a topper of Hindi in the civil services examination in 2008. A person like me from a Hindi background could become a part of this service as the UPSC and civil services examination shows it is very credible and unbiased,” said Chaudhary, who is Superintendent of Community Policing in Rajasthan.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

UPSC postpones Civil Services Prelims to June 16 due to Lok Sabha Elections 2024

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), on Tuesday, postponed the civil services preliminary examination from May 26 to June 16, 2024, citing the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

“Due to the schedule of the impending general election, the commission has decided to postpone the civil services (preliminary) examination-2024 which also serves as a screening test for the Indian Forest Service examination, 2024, from 26-05-2024 to 16-06-2024,” the notification from UPSC said.

Exam Structure and Vacancies

The civil services examination, a crucial selection process for various prestigious services including the IAS, IFS, and IPS, consists of three stages: preliminary, main, and interview. This year, approximately 1,056 vacancies are expected to be filled through this examination, as per a recent UPSC notification.

Revised examination schedule and registration details

The UPSC IAS written exams will occur in two shifts: General Studies and Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT). The registration deadline for the UPSC IAS exam 2024 was extended to March 6, with a subsequent correction window available from March 7 to March 13.

Admit cards for the UPSC Prelims will be released at least 10 days before the exam, and candidates can download them from the official website using their registration details.

Lok Sabha Elections 2024

The Lok Sabha elections in India are set to unfold in seven phases, with the vote counting scheduled for June 4, the Election Commission of India announced on March 16.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims for an unprecedented third consecutive term, setting a target of securing 370 seats for the party and 400 for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the upcoming polls.

The BJP has already unveiled two lists of candidates, totalling 265 names, which include prominent figures such as PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. In opposition, the Congress party is gearing up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as part of the INDIA bloc, a coalition of opposition parties.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

UPSC Civil Services Exam 2024 registration opens today; check eligibility, selection process and more

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Wednesday opened the registration process for the Civil Services Examinations (CSE) Prelims 2024. Candidates preparing to appear in the UPSC CSE 2024 can register themselves online through the official website of UPSC at upsc.gov.in. As per the official notification, the last date to apply for UPSC CSE 2024 is March 5, while the preliminary examination is scheduled for May 26.

UPSC CSE 2024: Vacancy

The total number of vacant posts under the UPSC CSE 2024 has not been yet announced. Last year, there were 1,105 vacancies for recruitment, the highest so far in the past seven years.

UPSC CSE 2024: Eligibility

For a candidate to apply for the UPSC CSE 2024 Prelims exams, he or she needs to have a graduation degree from any of the universities recognised by the central or state government.

Apart from this, the candidate applying for the examination has to be between 21 years and 32 years old. There is an age relaxation for the reserved category candidates.

UPSC CSE 2024: Number of attempts

The General candidates can take as many as six attempts to clear the UPSC exam. However, candidates belonging to the reserved category of OBC and PwBD will get nine attempts. The SC/ST categories candidates are allowed unlimited attempts until they attain the permissible relaxed age limit.

UPSC CSE 2024: How to Register?

Visit the official website of UPSC at upsc.gov.in.
Click on the ‘UPSC Civil Services Prelims Exam 2024’ link available on the homepage.
Register and log in to the account with the required credentials.
Fill in the application form and pay the application fees as required.
Review and click on ‘Submit’.
Download the confirmation page and keep a hard copy of the same for future reference.

UPSC CSE 2024: Selection Process

The selection process entails three stages — Prelims, Main, and Interview rounds.

In the preliminary examination, the candidate has to appear for an objective MCQ-based exam consisting of General Studies (Paper I) and CSAT (Paper II).

In the main round, the candidates, who clear the preliminary exam, appear for the written descriptive exam testing knowledge, understanding, and analytical skills across nine papers.

At the end, the shortlisted candidates from the main round are called for an interview.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

UPSC Recruitment 2024: Registration begins for 69 Specialist and other posts; direct link here

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Saturday (January 27) started the registration process for filling up 69 posts, including specialist and other positions. Interested and eligible candidates can apply online for all the posts through the official website of the UPSC at upsc.gov.in.

The last date for submission of online recruitment applications through the website is February 15 (till 11:59 PM).

UPSC Recruitment 2024: Details

As part of the recruitment drive, the UPSC will fill up a total of 40 positions in the Specialist Grade III category, 28 posts in the Scientist ‘B’ category, and one post of Assistant Director.

Candidates, who wish to apply for the posts, can visit the official website and check the detailed notification for the educational qualification and age limit requirements.

UPSC Recruitment 2024: How to apply for 69 posts:

Step 1. Open the official website of UPSC at upsc.gov.in.

Step 2. Click on the ‘Recruitment’ option and a drop-down box will open.

Step 3. Click on the ‘Online Recruitment Application’ link.

Step 4. A new page will open mentioning the posts and the application online.

Step 5. Click on the ‘Apply Now’ button for the post you wish to apply for.

Step 6. Read the important instructions carefully and fill up the application form.

Step 7. Make the online payment for the application.

Step 8. Click on the Submit button and download the form.

Step 9. Take a printout of the application form for future reference.

As per the official notification by the UPSC, candidates — except for females, SC, ST, and persons with benchmark disability — are required to pay a fee of ₹25 only either by remitting the money in any branch of the State Bank of India (SBI) by cash or by using net banking facility of any bank or by using Visa/Master/Rupay/Credit/Debit Card/UPI payment.

For more details regarding the recruitment, candidates can visit the official website of the UPSC.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

UPSC IFS Main Exam 2023 admit card to be released on November 17; check steps to download

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has declared that the admit cards for the Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination 2023 will be available from November 17. According to the official notification, applicants will be able to download their admit cards from the official website – upsc.gov.in.

“The Commission will upload the e-Admit Cards for the convenience of the admitted candidates on its website (http://upsconline.nic.in) on 17 November 2023. The candidates are advised to download their e-Admit Cards and take a printout as soon as the same is uploaded on the website,” UPSC said in a release on Tuesday.

The IFS Main examination is scheduled to take place on November 26 in two sessions—9 am to 12 noon and 2 pm to 5 pm.

In a change in the guidelines issued by the UPSC, the entry to exam centres will be closed 30 minutes prior to the beginning of the examination. Earlier, the candidates were allowed to enter the exam centre 10 minutes before the exam.

According to the official release, the candidates should preserve the e-Admit cards till the declaration of final results of the UPSC IFS Main exam 2023 and no physical admit card will be issued.

The Commission has advised the applicants to report any anomalies in the e-Admit Card immediately. The candidates can raise their complaints via email to soexam9-upsc@gov.in.

As per the exam guidelines no electronic devices, such as mobile phones or smartwatches, are permitted in the exam hall. Any candidate found flouting the guidelines will face disciplinary action. However, a simple wristwatch will be allowed.

Candidates are also advised to bring a black ballpoint pen for making entries in the Attendance List. Additionally, the printout of the e-Admit Card, along with a Photo ID card matching the ID number mentioned in the e-Admit Card, is mandatory for entry to the examination venue. Failure to produce these documents will result in candidates being denied entry to the examination.

To download your IFS Main admit card 2023, follow these steps:

Step 1: Go to upsc.gov.in, the official website.

Step 2: Click on the IFS Main exam admit card notification.

Step 3: Login by entering your credentials on the candidate portal.

Step 4: Select the link to View/Download the IFS Main Admit Card 2023.

Step 5: Review and download a copy of the admit card.

Step 6: Print it out for future use.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

UPSC Exam Calendar 2024 out: Check important examination dates, full list here

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) has released the exam calendar for the coming academic year of 2024 on its official website. The UPSC 2024 Exam Calendar is a tool for the students and candidates who are preparing for various government jobs. The released UPSC exam calendar 2024 includes the dates for the notification, application due dates and the starting and closing dates to apply for various exams.

As per the released calendar by UPSC, the preliminary exams of UPSC Civil Services and Indian Forest Service (IFS) are scheduled to be conducted on May 26, 2024, while the Civil Services Mains examination is going to be held from September 20 and the IFS Mains examination from November 24.

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According to the official notification, the registration process for UPSC NDA and CDS (I) 2024 will be starting from December 20, 2023, and will be continuing till January 9, 2024. The examinations are scheduled to be conducted on April 21 while the UPSC Indian Engineering Service (IES) preliminary exam will be held on June 21 and the CISF Assistant Commandant EXE LDCE 2024 will be conducted on March 10. Additionally, the Combined Geo-Scientist (Prelims) examination will be conducted on February 18.

Here is the list of UPSC Exam Calendar for 2024, check out the full date sheet:

• Engineering Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2024 -February 18, 2024
• Combined Geo-Scientist (Preliminary) Examination, 2024 -February 18, 2024
• CISF AC (EXE) LDCE-2024 -March 10, 2024
• NDA and NA Examination (I), 2024 -April 21, 2024
• CDS Examination (I) 2024 -April 21, 2024
• Civil Services (Prelims) Examination, 2024 -May 26, 2024

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• Indian Forest Service (Prelims) Examination, 2024 -May 26, 2024
• I.E.S./I.S.S. Examination, 2024 -June 21, 2024
• Combined Geo-Scientist (Mains) Examination, 2024 -June 22, 2024
• Engineering Services (Mains) Examination, 2024 -June 23, 2024
• Combined Medical Services Examination, 2024 -July 14, 2024
• Central Armed Police Forces (ACs) Examination, 2024 -August 4, 2024
• N.D.A. and N.A. Examination (II), 2024 -September 1, 2024

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• C.D.S. Examination (II), 2024 -September 1, 2024
• Civil Services (Mains) Examination, 2024 -September 20, 2024
• Indian Forest Service (Mains) Examination, 2024 -November 24, 2024
• S.O./Steno (GD-B/GD-I) LDC -July 7, 2024

For further details regarding the UPSC exams in 2024, candidates can visit the official website at upsc.gov.in. The exam calendar also mentions the duration or days allotted for each of the exams.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

UPSC CSE Mains 2023: Check admit card link and important guidelines

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is all set to conduct the Civil Service Exam (UPSC CSE) Mains 2023 from Friday, September 15. Those candidates, who have cleared the UPSC CSE Prelims 2023, are eligible to appear for the Mains exam. The dates for the Mains exam are September 15, 16, 17, 23, and 24.

The examination will be held in two sessions, from 9 AM to 12 PM in morning session and the afternoon session will take place from 2 PM to 5 PM.

The UPSC announced the results for CSE Prelims 2023 on June 12. Around 14,624 candidates cleared the exam and became eligible for the Mains. The candidates appearing for the Mains are also required to obtain their UPSC Mains admit card through the official website of the commission at upsc.gov.in.

UPSC CSE Mains 2023 exam: Steps to download the admit card

Candidates appearing for the exam can download their admit card by following these steps:

Step 1: Visit the official website of UPSC: upsc.gov.in.

Step 2: Click on the CSE Mains exam link and then go to the active examinations section.

Step 3: Select ‘e-admit cards for the Civil Services (Mains) Examination.’

Step 4: Login using the UPSC CSE Mains credentials that have been provided.

Step 5: Then, the UPSC CSE Mains admit card of the candidate will be displayed on the screen.

Step 6: Download it, and then take a printout of the admit card. Carry it on all the days of the examination.

UPSC CSE Mains 2023: Important guidelines for the exam

• Candidates must reach their respective exam centres 30 minutes prior to the exam time in order to avoid a last-minute rush.

• Candidates are not allowed to bring banned items like mobile phones and Bluetooth devices to the examination centre.

• Candidates must carry a hard copy of the admit card along with a valid photo ID.

• Valuable and expensive items are not allowed in the examination center.

• No candidate will be permitted to enter 10 minutes after the exam has commenced.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Parliamentary committee asks Health Ministry to call up students who fail to qualify competitive exams

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The health ministry has been recommended by a parliamentary committee to make a provision under 24×7 helpline to call up youths who fail competitive exams and counsel them against suicide.

The committee recommended the ministry to strengthen ways to track factors causing suicides through its National Suicide Prevention and bring their numbers down.

“The committee is pained to observe that students and unemployed youth accounted for the highest number of suicides in India.

“The Committee notes that while more students committed suicide than farmers, the latter’s suicides were termed a national crisis. However, suicides by students hardly caught anyone’s attention and were dealt with on a case-to-case basis,” it said.

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The committee said the government should prioritise mental health awareness and education campaigns to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health issues.

“The committee recommends the ministry to make provision under its 24×7 helpline to telephonically connect with youths who fail to qualify for competitive exams like UPSC-CSE, NEET, SSC, JEE, etc, by few marks and counsel them against committing suicides,” the report said.

The committee also acknowledged the National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS), which is a comprehensive plan that aims to reduce the number of suicides in the country by 10 per cent by 2030.

The committee asked the government to design mental health care services for children, adolescents, and young people, and rope in experts trained specifically to understand such people’s needs.

“There is also a lack of comparable data and evidence on the mental health problems affecting children, adolescents and young people.

“The Committee, therefore, recommends that in the NMHS-2, specific provisions should be made to generate evidence and data on mental health and psycho-social well-being of children, adolescents, youth and caregivers to understand the magnitude, trends, patterns and the prevalence of mental health and psycho-social problems among children, adolescents, youth and caregivers in India,” the report said.

The panel also recommended forming a dedicated cadre of counsellors in all schools under the ‘Manodarpan’ initiative.

School management committees should be encouraged to have inclusive learning spaces focusing on students’ social and emotional learning, it said.

The committee noted that most of the issues highlighted by the National Mental Health Survey 2015-16 have remained almost the same even in 2023.

There is still a great scope to improve the treatment gap that results from the lack of mental health professionals, weak mental healthcare infrastructure, inadequate and inequitable access to mental health services, stigma and discrimination, the report said.

The committee also observed that NMHS-2015-16 was done only in 12 states out of 36 states and UTs in India, and covered only about 40,000 people – a tiny sample considering the population of the country.

It said the survey relied on self-reporting (and not clinical analysis) by the interviewees, which can be subject to recall biases and under-reporting due to the stigma associated with mental health.

The survey was limited to collecting data on certain specific mental disorders, potentially overlooking mild or moderate mental health issues like emotional breakdown, etc, that may still require support and intervention, it said.

The panel noted that the survey also failed to take into account vulnerable populations, such as homeless individuals, prisoners, and those living in institutions, which may have led to underestimating the prevalence of mental disorders.

The committee recommended the health ministry to address these issues in its next such survey and conduct a comprehensive study of mental healthcare landscape in India.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow