Discussions are intended to collect students’ views and experiences on mental health and encourage schools to strengthen mechanisms for listening to students, peer support and access to appropriate help. (Image via CISCE)The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) will organise a three-tier national initiative on student mental health and well-being, involving nearly 16 lakh students from Classes VI to XII, 32,000 teachers and more than 3,300 affiliated schools.The CISCE Student Mental Health and Well-Being Conclave 2026 will begin with school-level discussions in October and culminate in a national conclave in Hyderabad from November 20 to 22. The initiative will coincide with World Mental Health Day on October 10.The first stage, School-Level Mental Health and Well-Being Dialogues, will be held from October 4 to 31 across CISCE-affiliated schools. Students from Classes VI to XII will take part in weekly classroom discussions on four areas — student stress and academic pressure; emotional well-being, digital life and positive relationships; drugs, substance abuse and healthy choices; and resilience and help-seeking behaviour.The discussions are intended to collect students’ views and experiences on mental health and encourage schools to strengthen mechanisms for listening to students, peer support and access to appropriate help.The second stage will consist of Regional Student Mental Health and Well-Being Conclaves, which will be conducted virtually across 18 regions from November 4 to 14. Selected student representatives and teacher mentors will take part in these discussions. School-level issues and experiences will be discussed at the regional level, following which representatives and mentors will be selected for the national conclave.The final stage will be held at the CISCE Centre of Excellence in Hyderabad from November 20 to 22. It will bring together 72 students representing 18 regions, 18 teacher mentors, mental health and policy experts, CISCE representatives and partner organisations.A key outcome of the national conclave will be a CISCE Student Mental Health Charter. The charter will set out principles, rights, responsibilities and recommendations for creating supportive and emotionally safe school environments.Story continues below this adThe initiative will also work towards developing a Student Well-being Index, compiling examples of practices followed by schools, and preparing a White Paper on Emerging Mental Health Concerns among Adolescents.CISCE has said it may later make the Student Mental Health Conclave a biennial initiative, held around World Mental Health Day. The 2026 programme is designed to take student concerns from classroom discussions to regional and national platforms and use them to develop recommendations for school-level practices and student well-being.