On DU campuses, students create spaces for mental health
Students at the University of Delhi are establishing peer-led mental health initiatives to address rising psychological distress among the student body. Programs range from informal coffee-cup messages to professional counseling and wellness circles.
Why it matters
These grassroots efforts highlight a growing trend of student-led mental health advocacy in response to academic and personal pressures in higher education.
At Gargi College, an ordinary cup of coffee became the starting point for a conversation about mental health. In February 2026, Izhaar, the student-run mental health society, placed handwritten messages of encouragement inside coffee cups distributed on campus, turning an everyday ritual into an opportunity for peer support.
The initiative is one of several across the University of Delhi, where campus mental health groups are creating spaces for peer support as students navigate academic demands, financial pressures and questions of identity, often while living far from home.
According to a 2025 study published in the Asian Journal of Psychiatry, a majority of young adults in Indian higher education reported moderate to high levels of psychological distress (70.3%), anxiety (69.9%) and depression (59.9%).
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