UNIVERSITY AS A COUNSELLING HUB - TO REFORM, REVIVE AND REJUVENATE
Objectives
The University endeavours to guide, support and train the students through various kinds of counselling activities keeping in mind the following objectives:
• To ensure mental wellbeing of students in terms of their thoughts, behaviour and interpersonal relations.
•To guide students about their career choices as per their capabilities and skills.
• To develop a university-society interface.
• To prepare students for facing real-world challenges.
• To develop centers of learning as centers of social welfare.
Context
The University strives hard to impart quality education which leads to the holistic development of students. The practice of Counselling not only gives the youth an education but also prepares them for the society.
Practice
The various types of counselling activities are summarized as follows:
1) Mental and Psychological Counselling
The department of Psychology and CBCS offer counselling to ensure student’s mental wellbeing and stress management. The emotional issues are addressed through proper psychological interventions. The rallies/memory camps are organized on Mental Health Day. The student’s involvement with neuroscience is promoted through organization of Brain Bee Quiz competitions.
2) Legal Counselling
The Legal Aid Centre of Department of Law is actively involved in providing legal aid and counselling to people living in adjoining areas of the University who have nowhere to go in times of distress.
3) Mentor-Mentee Programmes
In each academic unit, regular mentoring sessions are held to guide the students as per their performance level.
4) Agricultural Counselling
The Sheeladhar Institute of Soil Science specializes in providing counselling to farmers and masses on the soil quality and soil properties in a changing climate. The University runs courses on agricultural chemistry, agricultural botany, and agricultural zoology. The KBCAOS provides counselling on weather and climate issues vis-à-vis crop pattern and production. Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay Chair in association with different departments organizes outreach activities for counselling of farmers of nearby villages.
5) Health Counselling
The University conducts regular health counselling sessions for awareness on health, hygiene, and emerging health issues like zoonoses and water-borne diseases. During the pandemic, successful counselling sessions for COVID-19 and associated health disorders were organized. The sessions on physical fitness, yoga, meditation, and mental peace are also conducted.
6) Nutritional & Behavioural Counselling
Nutritional and Behavioural Counselling for university students aims to promote holistic well-being by addressing both dietary habits and mental health challenges common during academic life. Through personalized counselling, students are guided toward healthier eating, better stress management, and the development of positive behavioural routines such as effective time management, sleep hygiene, and emotional regulation.
7) Gender Counselling
The Centre for Women’s Studies offers counselling in terms of gender sensitization, maintaining gender equity, protection and safeguard of women’s rights.
8) Career Counselling
The well-structured Career Counselling and Guidance Centre organizes different activities for students about personality development, career choices, employment opportunities, information on scholarships and fellowships.
Evidence of Success
• Increased efficiency of students at the intellectual and psychological level
• Increase in number of placements and improved University-industry interface
• Lower rates of violence and unrest among the students
• Greater bonding between mentors and mentees
• Improved gender awareness and increased safety
• Increased awareness about health, hygiene, cleanliness and maintenance of campus
Problems Encountered and Resources Required
• Difficulty in convincing the students who need counselling to attend support sessions
• Limited scope of building trained counsellors for future in different disciplines
• Competition from private counselling centres
