India's Student Helplines Struggle Amid Rising Mental Health Concerns

When exams are coming up, students can get really stressed.

There are special phone lines that are supposed to help them, run by the government and kind organizations.

But when people called these lines, many didn't get through, or the sound was bad, making it hard to talk.

Some helpers gave advice like 'study harder,' which didn't feel helpful.

Students also worry about talking to strangers because they might not keep secrets safe or might judge them.

Sometimes, sensitive issues like abuse were treated casually.

One helpline even suggested students go to a paid service for anything other than very serious problems.

While some helpers were kind, they often didn't offer real solutions.

It seems these helplines need better training and a more caring approach to truly help students when they're feeling down.