Vartah 3.0

Vartah 3.0 - The National School Counsellors Summit 2024: Navigating Youth Mental Health and Competitive Exams

We are excited to announce the resounding success of Vartah 3.0: The National School Counsellors Summit, hosted by the School of Liberal Arts at GD Goenka University in collaboration with Fortis Hospital, held on 12th and 13th July 2024!

With over 120 dedicated school counsellors from across India in attendance, the summit served as a pivotal platform for sharing insights and strategies on addressing youth mental health and competitive exam pressures.

Day 1 Highlights:

Professor Kim Menzes, Honourable Vice Chancellor, opened the event with an inspiring welcome.

Dr. Amrita Bahl, Chief Education Officer of GD Goenka Group, shared valuable strategies for counselling students dealing with exam-related stress, referencing Philip Jackson’s concept of the 'Hidden Curriculum,' which emphasizes the unwritten skills essential for student success.

A thought-provoking panel discussion on ‘Essential Life Skills - Is There a Hack to Life?’ featured Ms. Nishtha Narula and Dr. Mantosh Kumar, who discussed the pitfalls of life hacks and the importance of well-planned approaches to success, especially in a digital world where social media often exacerbates stress.

Dr. Samir Parikh, Director of Mental Health & Behavioural Sciences at Fortis Hospital, delivered a powerful keynote on ‘Empathy and Responsibility - From the Vantage of a Student,’ addressing societal attitudes towards mental health and advocating for curricula that foster empathy and social responsibility.

Ms. Mimansa Singh Tanwar focused on ‘Toolkit for Mindfulness and Distress Tolerance,’ introducing Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) as a method for managing stress and past trauma.

Roshni Sondhi discussed ‘Building Mastery and Coping Ahead: Skills to Compete,’ highlighting mindfulness techniques like meditation and mindful breathing to combat exam anxiety.

The first day concluded with a campus tour and a gala dinner, providing a vibrant networking opportunity for all participants.

Day 2 Highlights:

Ms. Kamna Chibbar, Head of the Mental Health Department at Fortis National Health Program, presented on “Pressure to Performance - Learning from Social Psychology,” covering concepts like Yerkes-Dodson Law, Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, and Social Comparison Theory, and emphasizing the need for sensitive and timely intervention by school counsellors.

Ms. Muskan from the International Students’ Office at GD Goenka University introduced the university’s international immersion and exchange programs, reflecting our commitment to global academic exposure.

Pushpa Joshi, Head of Admissions at GD Goenka University, presented the diverse programs offered, followed by a tour showcasing our world-class infrastructure.

Panel 2, led by Ms. Geetika Kapoor from Ed Essential and Fortis Hospital, explored ‘Skill Building for Parents - Insights from Positive Psychology,’ discussing the impact of positive versus authoritative parenting on student well-being.

Dr. Shambhavi Jain and Ms. Anusha Tyagi led a session on ‘Beyond the Books - Outside the Box Skills for Young Minds,’ emphasizing the importance of creativity and unconventional thinking.

The summit concluded with a valedictory session and closing remarks by Professor (Dr) Anjali Midha Sharan, Dean of the School of Liberal Arts, summarizing the event’s impact and vision for the future.
A heartfelt thank you to all the speakers, participants, and organizers for making this event a tremendous success.

Together, we are shaping a brighter future for our students through collaborative learning and innovative approaches!