To enhance emotional wellbeing of its students, IIT Bombay launches a self-help website
In a step that goes beyond being one of the premier institutes of technology-education, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has launched BANDHU, a self-help website to ensure mental and emotional well-being of students during the pandemic spread by Covid-19.
The self-help website is aimed at inspiring the students of IIT Bombay how to deal with various challenges in life positively.
The website will focus on challenges such as adjusting to college life, academic stress and mental health especially during Covid times through curated reading resources, motivational alumni journeys, expert podcasts and tools for self-exploration.
BANDHU has a different “Way of Solutions” to all the above problems or challenges and thus will be of great help to students. BANDHU will also help in pointing out when it could be time to seek help from the support structure available at IIT Bombay.
This project of BANDHU was initiated and funded by the alumni of the 1992 batch as part of their silver jubilee reunion in 2017, and has been designed in collaboration with counsellors at the institute along with external experts, receiving additional support from Prof. T. Kundu, Dean of Student Affairs, and Prof Suhas Joshi, Dean of Alumni and Corporate Relations.
The website was unveiled on November 1 by Sanjay Dhotre, the Minister of State for Education, at a virtual event where eminent filmmaker and IIT Bombay alumnus Nitesh Tiwari was the guest of honour, accompanied by IIT Bombay director Prof. Subhasis Chaudhuri.
Appreciating the efforts of alumni of IIT Bombay Minister Dhotre said, “A good education institution is one in which every student feels welcomed and cared for, where a safe and stimulating learning environment exists, where a wide range of learning experiences are offered, and where good physical infrastructure and appropriate resources conducive to learning are available to all students. Students are the prime stakeholders in the education system. Vibrant campus life is essential for high-quality teaching-learning processes. Towards this end, students should be given plenty of opportunities for participation in sports, culture/arts clubs, eco-clubs, activity clubs, community service projects etc.”
While talking about the significance of counselling systems in educational institutions, he mentioned that “National Education Policy 2020 says that in every education institution, there shall be counselling systems for handling stress and emotional adjustments. Furthermore, a systematized arrangement shall be created to provide the requisite support to students from rural backgrounds, including increasing hostel facilities as needed. All higher education institutions will ensure quality medical facilities for all students in their institutions.”
“I am sure that the academic leaders at IIT Bombay are looking into these aspects also, along with imparting top class education. I am sure the “BANDHU” initiative will help our students to travel on their respective chosen paths in a stress free manner, ensuring the emotional well being,” he added.
“We live in a time where we are prone to stress. The students of IIT Bombay need to stay strong, both physically and emotionally to construct and pursue their dreams,” said Prof Chaudhuri.