DIET Jammu trains 55 Educators as First-Response Counselors under NEP 2020-Manodarpan

JAMMU: In a decisive step toward ensuring emotional wellbeing of school students and building psychosocial resilience in schools, DIET Jammu successfully concluded a three-day Capacity Building Program on “Teacher as first level Counsellor” here at Government Higher Secondary School Bakshi Nagar. The move marks a strategic milestone in advancing the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Manodarpan Initiative of the Ministry of Education and the UMEED Mental Health Guidelines.

Pertinently, the training was conducted just days after the Supreme Court of India issued guidelines mandating all educational institutions to prioritise student mental health, making this intervention both timely and aligned with evolving national priorities. The program was spearheaded by Principal, DIET Jammu  R.G. Dogra and academically mentored by Joint Director, SCERT Jammu Division, Prof. (Dr.) Sindhu Kapoor.

Principal, GHSS Bakshi Nagar, Jabeen Akhtar graced the inaugural session as Special Guest.  Joint Director Elementary Education Romi Kumar graced the valedictory function with his benign presence The sessions were led by a multidisciplinary panel of experts who blended clinical insight with practical school-based strategies.

The training brought together 58 educators, including teachers, masters and lecturers from each cluster head schools from across all educational zones of Jammu district, united by a shared mission—to transform schools into emotionally safe and nurturing environments where students thrive both academically and psychologically.

Participants were introduced to the evolving role of teachers as first-response counsellors, highlighting the need to go beyond academic instruction and serve as emotional anchors for students. The training covered key domains including child psychology, core counselling skills, Psychological First Aid (PFA), social-emotional learning (SEL), and the creation of emotionally supportive classrooms. Teacher well-being was a central theme, with facilitators reinforcing that “happy teachers create happy classrooms.”

R.G. Dogra emphasized the importance of activity-based learning, identified teachers as frontline counsellors, and advocated for integrating yoga and meditation in school assemblies to foster positivity and mental balance.

While Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Dr. Sindhu Kapoor linked NEP 2020’s holistic vision with Indian philosophical frameworks, elaborating on the five koshas—Annamaya (physical body), Pranamaya (breath/energy), Manomaya (emotions), Vijnanamaya (wisdom) and Anandamaya (inner joy)—as essential dimensions to be nurtured in true education.

Under the guidance of Principal DIET Jammu, the training followed an experiential and reflective pedagogy. Role-plays, storytelling, reflection circles, videos, Baal Geets, Music and mock counseling sessions created space for deep introspection. Many teachers shared personal experiences, visibly moved by the realization that their presence, tone, and empathy could dramatically alter a child’s emotional journey.

The program was enriched by the presence of a distinguished ensemble of mental health professionals who brought diverse expertise to the training sessions. Dr. Romesh Kumar, Psychologist and Head of Department at DIET Jammu, served as the lead facilitator and program anchor, providing a unifying psychological and pedagogical framework.

The program featured expert inputs from Dr. Rajinder Kumar, Psychiatrist at GMC Jammu, on adolescent mental health; Manpreet Kour, Counsellor at GMC Jammu who conducted counselling skill sessions; Dr. Rachna, clinical psychologist who introduced Psychological First Aid; Dr. Alka Sharma, who shared school-based counselling practices; Shria Abrol, RCI certified child psychologist who addressed child safety and protection; and a resource person from the Piramal Foundation, who presented the SEEL framework blending ethics, mindfulness, and compassion.

In his closing remarks at valedictory function Romi Kumar stated that “Every school must envision a trained counsellor, but more importantly, every teacher must walk into the classroom with emotional literacy. The program concluded with certificate distribution and a collective affirmation: teachers are not just educators—they are emotional lifelines.

The Program was organized by IFIC wing of DIET Jammu with active support of Suniya Mehta, Monika Gupta and Tripta Charak, Sumit Sawhney Lecturers of DIET Jammu and Sanjay Lal Teacher (Zone Chowki Choura) under the guidance of Dr. Romesh Kumar HOD DIET Jammu.