The Hindu Editorial Analysis
10 October 2025
India Needs a Unified Mental Health Response
(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 8)
Topic : GS Paper II – Governance, Health and Social Justice | GS Paper III – Social Issues | Essay Paper – Health, Mental well-being, Human development
Context
The editorial marks World Mental Health Day (October 10), emphasizing the global scale of mental illness — affecting over one billion people worldwide (13% of the global population). India mirrors this global challenge, with 13.7% lifetime prevalence of mental disorders. Despite progressive legislation like the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, and expanded digital and district mental health initiatives, the country continues to face systemic, financial, and structural barriers to providing effective and equitable mental health care.
Key Issues and Analysis
1. Policy Framework: Progress Made So Far
- India legally recognized the right to mental health care under the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, ensuring access to affordable and quality services while decriminalizing suicide and emphasizing patient dignity.
- The District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) operates across 767 districts, offering outpatient care, suicide prevention, and counseling services.
- Initiatives like Tele-MANAS, a 24×7 helpline, have reached over 20 lakh tele-consultations, while school-based programmes such as Manodarpan have supported 11 crore students.
- The Supreme Court in Sukdeb Saha vs. State of Andhra Pradesh reinforced that mental health is a fundamental right under Article 21, creating a constitutional obligation on the state.
Significance: These developments mark India’s transition from a curative to a preventive and rights-based mental health approach.
2. Persistent Challenges in India’s Mental Health Landscape
Despite policy progress, India’s mental health system faces severe implementation gaps:
- Infrastructure Deficit:
India has only 0.75 psychiatrists and 0.12 psychologists per 1,00,000 population, far below the WHO’s recommendation of three psychiatrists per 1,00,000. - Resource and Funding Constraints:
Mental health accounts for just 1.05% of total health spending, below the WHO-recommended 5% benchmark. - Fragmented Governance:
Responsibilities for health, education, and labour lie across multiple ministries, creating duplication and weak coordination. - Stigma and Social Barriers:
More than half of Indian adults still view mental illness as a sign of personal weakness, leading to delayed diagnosis and poor treatment adherence.
Result: Millions drop out of treatment prematurely, reinforcing cycles of disability, social exclusion, and economic loss — estimated at over $1 trillion by 2030 (WHO).
3. Global Comparisons and Lessons
- The global prevalence of mental disorders is 13.6%, but developed nations like Australia, Canada, and the U.K. report mental health coverage of 40–55%, compared to India’s 1.05%.
- These countries rely on mid-level mental health professionals, providing up to 50% of counselling services — a model largely absent in India.
- India’s system remains specialist-centric, undercutting scalability and local accessibility.
Lesson: Decentralization and task-shifting through mid-level mental health providers could bridge India’s massive service gap.
4. Steps Towards a Unified Mental Health Framework
a) Increase Funding and Institutional Integration
- Raise mental health allocation to at least 5% of total health expenditure.
- Integrate services across ministries (health, education, labour) through a coordinated national framework.
b) Strengthen Workforce and Mid-level Providers
- Expand training and deployment of community mental health workers.
- Reform curricula to include WHO’s ICD-11 classifications, ensuring alignment with global practices.
c) Improve Accessibility and Data Systems
- Develop district-level mental health surveillance systems linked to State data repositories.
- Strengthen telemedicine and outreach through Tele-MANAS 2.0 with regional language access.
d) Address Stigma and Awareness
- Launch school and workplace-based awareness campaigns.
- Introduce mental health education in schools and peer-support networks at community levels.
Way Forward
India’s mental health policy architecture is robust but fragmented in execution. The next step must be toward integration — connecting the DMHP, Tele-MANAS, and private sector initiatives under a single national framework. Expanding budgetary commitments, addressing workforce deficits, and promoting public acceptance are key to breaking stigma and ensuring equity.
A unified, well-funded, and decentralized response — emphasizing prevention, community care, and inter-ministerial coordination — will enable India to move from token mental health awareness to true psychological inclusion and national resilience.