In a major step aimed at strengthening student well-being, the CBSE has directed all its affiliated schools to appoint separate socio-emotional and career counsellors for students, following a fixed student-to-counsellor ratio.
The move comes amid growing concern over the mental health of schoolchildren, particularly in the wake of rising student suicide cases across the country and marks a significant shift in how schools are expected to support both emotional wellness and career planning.
The reform, which came following a Public Interest Litigation heard by the Rajasthan High Court, is intended to ensure early mental health intervention, provide counselling support to parents and offer structured career guidance to students starting from Class 9.
What will a socio-emotional counsellor do?
As per the notification issued by CBSE, socio-emotional counsellors will be tasked with a bundle of responsibilities. Their responsibilities would include identification of mental health concerns for students and sensitisation of teachers and parents.
The socio-emotional counselors will also be tasked with providing mental health and wellness focused counselling to both students and parents to improve the students’ overall learning requirement and mediate any tension. All counsellors will be required to maintain a strict code of confidentiality and ethics.
How is this different from before?
The new regulation enforces a number of changes in the system. Previously, schools only required a single “Counsellor & Wellness Teacher”. The 2026 update splits this into two distinct, mandatory roles: a Socio-Emotional Counsellor and a Career Counsellor.
Furthermore, CBSE has also updated the eligibility criteria for potential candidates for these posts.
The Counselling and Wellness Teacher must possess a graduate or postgraduate degree in Psychology or a postgraduate degree in Social Work with specialisation in mental health or counselling. They must also undergo a mandatory 50-hour CBSE-recognised capacity-building programme.
While career guidance departments were often bundled with general wellness or left to subject teachers before. It is now a compulsory, standalone department for Classes 9-12.
Lastly, CBSE has now also asked schools to strictly maintain a fixed ratio of 500:1 for both socio-emotional counselors and career guides. A school with 1,500 students now needs at least three socio-emotional and three career counsellors.
Internet’s reaction
CBSE’s action based on a plea seeking a mental health support system for college and university students has stirred mixed reactions from netizens. While some praise the board’s action, others have expressed concerns about the ‘1-500’ ratio doubting its effectiveness.