The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in collaboration with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, has launched the offline training programme under Project MATE (Mind Activation Through Education) on 26th August 2025 at AIIMS, New Delhi.
Project MATE, developed at AIIMS Delhi, is a pioneering adolescent wellness initiative designed to enhance resilience, coping strategies, and meaningful peer connectivity through the innovative concept of MATE-5. The five-day training programme (26th–30th August 2025) is being facilitated by leading experts in psychiatry, psychology, and communication, with the participation of nearly 50 school counselors from CBSE-affiliated schools in Delhi-NCR.
Highlights from the Inaugural Ceremony
The event was graced by:
- Prof. Dr. M. Srinivas, Director, AIIMS
- Shri Rahul Singh, IAS, Chairperson, CBSE
- Shri Himanshu Gupta, IAS, Secretary, CBSE
- Prof. Dr. K.K. Verma, Dean Academics, AIIMS
- Prof. Dr. Nand Kumar, Department of Psychiatry, AIIMS
Shri Rahul Singh, IAS, emphasized the urgent need to integrate health and education holistically, noting the rise of loneliness and stress in today’s fast-paced, tech-driven world. He said Project MATE provides counselors with the tools to address these challenges and strengthen the vision of future-ready education.
Prof. Dr. M. Srinivas, Director, AIIMS, called the programme a transformative step in combining health and education, stressing that resilience-building and collective responsibility of parents, counselors, and educators will reshape student well-being.
Shri Himanshu Gupta, IAS, highlighted this as a landmark collaboration between CBSE and AIIMS, urging counselors to dedicate themselves fully to the training, while noting that its outcomes will guide a larger national rollout.
Prof. Dr. Nand Kumar underlined the importance of early school-based counseling and normalizing mental health, while Prof. Dr. K.K. Verma suggested scaling Project MATE nationally for broader impact.
About the Training ProgrammeOver the course of five days, participants will engage in structured workshops covering:
- Biopsychosocial model of health
- Anxiety coping mechanisms
- Parental sensitization
- Peer support systems
- Nutrition, family & social roles
- Tools for impact assessment
The initiative is expected to empower school counselors to build emotional resilience, conflict resolution, digital well-being, and social connectedness among students, while also destigmatizing mental health in schools.
Through this collaboration, CBSE and AIIMS reaffirm their commitment to holistic child development, ensuring that students are better prepared to thrive both academically and personally.
📄 Official PDF Circular: Click Here
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