For years, school conversations have largely centered around grades, attendance and learning outcomes. Rajasthan is now trying to add another measure to that list: how children feel in the classroom.The state has launched ‘Khushishala’, a mental health and wellness program for students of classes 1 to 5 in around 1,500 government schools. Officials say Rajasthan is the first state in the country to introduce such a structured program at the primary level.Implemented by the Rajasthan State Council of Educational Research and Training (RSCERT), the initiative uses classroom activities to help children develop emotional resilience, social skills and life skills. But the program is not just for students.
Teachers at the center
Under Khushishala, teachers undergo a three-day training program followed by a 21-day audio-based course on emotional awareness, stress recognition, relationship building and wellness. Teacher manuals and mobile-based resources have also been prepared to support classroom activities.The director of RSCERT, Shweta Fagediya, said: “Khushishala has made Rajasthan the first state in India to implement a mental health and well-being program at the primary education level. The goal is to strengthen children’s emotional resilience and social-emotional skills while equipping teachers to better understand and support the emotional needs of students.”
Pilot shaped the rollout
The program follows a pilot conducted in Sirohi and Banswara districts in 2024.According to Fagediya, the pilot involved 120 teachers and recorded a 53 percent improvement in students’ socio-emotional skills. Among girls, the improvement reached 69 percent.“Findings also indicated stronger teacher-student relationships and greater emotional development among children,” he said, adding that the program also helped reduce academic stress.After the pilot, RSCERT and the Kshamtalaya Foundation trained teachers across the state. The initiative is now being expanded, with plans to train 11,305 teachers at the panchayat level and extend it to 649 PM SHRI schools.If the rollout goes as planned, Rajasthan will have more than 12,000 schools with at least one teacher trained to conduct Khushishala activities. (with agency inputs)
