NEW DELHI, October 10 — Marking World Mental Health Day (observed annually on October 10), the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Saturday rolled out the 'Tele-MANAS 2.0' mobile platform, integrating video-based psychiatric consultations, AI-assisted symptom triage, and seamless referral pathways to District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) units across all 766 districts of India.
Inaugurating the upgraded digital infrastructure in coordination with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, health officials announced that the toll-free Tele-MANAS helpline (14416 / 1800-891-4416) has delivered over 1.5 million free, confidential counseling sessions across 22 scheduled Indian languages since inception. The 2.0 upgrade links directly with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) and e-Sanjeevani telemedicine portals for automated electronic prescription fulfillment.
Aligned with the global theme emphasizing mental wellness in workplaces and higher education campuses, the Ministry issued advisory mandates requiring universities and competitive examination coaching hubs to establish full-time psychological wellness cells to combat youth anxiety and stress.
Statutory entitlements under the Mental Healthcare Act 2017 (decriminalizing suicide attempts under Section 115, guaranteeing the right to access mental healthcare, and instituting Advance Directives), the organizational architecture of Tele-MANAS (NIMHANS serving as the apex nodal center alongside IIIT-Bangalore for technology support), and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy are core themes for UPSC Civil Services (GS-II: Social Justice & Public Health).