Mumbai: Academic performance, career concerns, and homework remain the top stressors for school students, according to the IC3 Student Suicide Aversion Report 2025 released during the Annual IC3 Conference & Expo.

The report, based on responses from 8,542 students across Grades 8 to 12, paints a concerning picture of student well-being. One in five students rarely feels calm or motivated about life, and nearly 40 per cent do not know where to seek mental health support in school. Almost half have never received structured career counseling, with uncertainty about the future emerging as a leading source of anxiety.

Girls were found to be nearly twice as likely as boys to experience persistent sadness, while non-binary students reported the lowest well-being levels. The study also highlighted severe sleep deprivation, with three out of four Grade 12 students failing to get adequate rest due to academic overload and overthinking.

“Career anxiety continues to steal students' sleep and peace of mind. Mental health cannot be treated as optional—counseling must become part of every school's core infrastructure,” said Ganesh Kohli, Founder of the IC3 Movement.

The conference, attended by over 1,500 educators and delegates from 95 countries, featured sessions on embedding counseling into school systems. Experts, including senior education leaders and mental health advocates, called for systemic reforms to prioritize emotional well-being.

The IC3 Movement, now in its 10th year, reaffirmed its mission to make counseling accessible and integral to education.