At Zakir Husain Delhi College, NAFS, a student mental health society, organises sessions led by psychologists, art-based workshops and community events to encourage conversations around mental health.
At Gargi College, an ordinary cup of coffee became the starting point for a conversation about mental health. In February 2026, Izhaar, the student-run mental health society, placed handwritten messages of encouragement inside coffee cups distributed on campus, turning an everyday ritual into an opportunity for peer support. The initiative is one of several across the University of Delhi, where campus mental health groups are creating spaces for peer support as students navigate academic demands, financial pressures and questions of identity, often while living far from home. According to a 2025 study published in the Asian Journal of Psychiatry, a majority of young adults in Indian higher education reported moderate to high levels of psychological distress (70.3%), anxiety (69.9%) and depression (59.9%). Across colleges, students have introduced initiatives ranging from peer support groups and wellness circles to awareness campaigns and free counselling. The nature and scale of these efforts vary across campuses. Support networks
