Mental Health , National Education Policy (2020) and Psychology in Practice

With changing societal and environmental demands on attitude and knowledge of individuals in the 21st century, the constructivist perspective of education has been emphasized by recently introduced National Education Policy (NEP, 2020). It is not just enough for students to reflect on what to know. It is more important for them to become aware of how they think, how they know and how they learn. Inculcating a multidisciplinary outlook now is not only essential for a holistic knowledge base, but also to develop critical thinking in students. Moreover, the actualization of fullest potential of every learner requires an innovative pedagogy that aims to attain requisite outcomes in all major domains, such as, physical, cognitive, social, emotional, moral and spiritual development. The protection of mental health and human
dignity requires education to become not only inclusive but also to introduce reforms that bring the highest quality, equity, and integrity into the system. Psychology, as a discipline and as a profession, has a lot to offer in translating the aims of this new education policy into reality. Understanding the individual needs of both the learner and the educator is a primary concern for the practitioners and policy makers alike. Early stimulation, evaluation of learning potential, input and output in a teaching-learning process, examination anxiety, early dropout, psychological wellbeing of students and teachers, regional and linguistic disadvantage in classrooms, to name a few, have been of interest for psychological research in varied social, cultural, and technological contexts. This International Conference intends to bring together academics, practitioners, social activists, and the like from Psychology and related disciplines to reflect on the current research and practices pertaining to the goals envisioned in the NEP. This would help in arriving at strategies for creating optimal learning environment both in and beyond classrooms as well as ensuring collective mental health and wellbeing.