CBSE Mandates Counsellors in Schools: A New Era for Student Mental Health

In a pivotal reform, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has mandated the appointment of socio-emotional and career counsellors in all affiliated schools. This decision, influenced by a Public Interest Litigation highlighting mental health challenges among students, aims to provide structured support and guidance. The new guidelines require schools to hire a Counselling and Wellness Teacher for every 500 students and a Career Counsellor, ensuring that students receive the necessary mental health support and career advice. With these changes, the CBSE hopes to foster a healthier educational environment and address the pressing mental health needs of students across the country.

By Ambika Singh Jan 24, 2026, 16:00 IST

New Guidelines for Student Support

Kota: In a groundbreaking move to enhance the mental well-being of students and offer career guidance, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has mandated the hiring of socio-emotional and career counsellors in all affiliated institutions.

This decision follows an amendment to Clause 2.4.12 of the CBSE Affiliation Bye-Laws, 2018, prompted by a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) submitted to the Rajasthan High Court in July 2025 by advocate Sujeet Swami and several psychology professionals.

The PIL underscored the increasing mental health issues faced by students, such as academic pressure and insufficient career guidance, advocating for the necessity of qualified counsellors and a standardized mental health support system in schools.

During the court proceedings in September 2025, the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court requested feedback and recommendations from the CBSE, the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE), the University Grants Commission, and the state government. After reviewing the inputs, the CBSE announced significant amendments via a circular on January 19, 2026.

The updated regulations introduce two new sub-clauses. Clause 2.4.12.1 requires each CBSE school to appoint one full-time Counselling and Wellness Teacher, or socio-emotional counsellor, for every 500 students. Clause 2.4.12.2 mandates the hiring of a Career Counsellor.

Previously, CBSE guidelines stipulated that only schools with over 300 students in Classes 9 to 12 needed to employ a full-time psychological counsellor, while smaller institutions could hire part-time staff.

The education board has set minimum qualifications for these counsellors.

The Counselling and Wellness Teacher must hold a graduate or postgraduate degree in Psychology or a postgraduate degree in Social Work with a focus on mental health or counselling. Additionally, they are required to complete a 50-hour capacity-building program recognized by the CBSE.

Their duties encompass counselling students and parents, facilitating social-emotional learning, crisis intervention, identifying mental health issues, educating teachers and parents, and upholding confidentiality and ethical standards.

To accommodate smaller schools, the CBSE has introduced a Counselling Hub and Spoke School Model, where Hub schools provide mentorship to nearby Spoke schools.

For career guidance, a student-to-counsellor ratio of 1500 is mandated for students in Classes 9 to 12.

Career Counsellors must possess a graduate or postgraduate degree in fields such as Humanities, Science, Social Sciences, Management, Education, or Technology.

Advocate Sujeet Swami, who initiated the PIL, emphasized the need for these amendments to cater to the mental health requirements of students from primary to senior secondary levels, highlighting the significance of expert career guidance, especially after Class 10.

He expressed hope that with the CBSE's implementation of these changes, similar reforms would follow in RBSE-affiliated schools.

Advocate Amit Dadhich from the Rajasthan High Court praised the decision, noting that there have been appeals to the court for the establishment of a structured mental health support system for college and university students in Rajasthan, with optimistic results anticipated soon.