New Delhi, Oct 5 (FN Agency) Ahead of World Mental Health Day, Physics Wallah (PW) on Thursday extended its focus beyond academics to address a crucial concern: students’ emotional well-being through its free helpline ‘Prerna’. The helpline will also be expanding its offline presence to 16 more cities, allowing for physical assistance to students. The helpline, which has since November last year empowered 20,140 students across India during challenging times such as exam-related stress, and anxiety, offers free expert counselling services in various vernacular languages, catering to both PW and any other students of India. Currently, Prerna, an initiative that comes under PW Foundation, has a dedicated team of experienced counsellors – 17 online and 6 offline – located in Kota and Patna, with online services available to students from across the country.
It operates from 10 am to 9 pm six days a week. Beyond counselling, the Prerna team is also engaging parents and helping them identify potential issues in their children and find the right support. From webinars to meditation sessions, the Prerna team ensures they actively visit classes in Kota and Patna PW Vidyapeeth centres to better understand students’ needs and strengthen their presence within the academic community. In a bid to diminish the language barrier, Prerna has a team of well-trained and qualified expert counsellors who are proficient in Hindi, English, Marathi, and Tamil. Alakh Pandey, PW Founder and CEO, stated, “Students frequently approach me to confide in their challenges, and I feel genuinely concerned. As the company expanded, it became increasingly difficult to personally connect with every student.
I take immense pride in our Prerna team, which established a supportive community, empowering students to confront their challenges proactively. As a society, we must rethink the academic pressure we place on our children and prioritize a holistic ecosystem so that education doesn’t feel like a burden to them.” Prerna prioritizes privacy and value feedback from students, making it one of the most trusted and go-to helplines in India. To ensure timely assistance to students in case of an emergency, Prerna has also onboarded Lissun, a tech-enabled mental health startup that comprises a team of mental health, technology, and wellness professionals. In the future, the Prerna helpline (9990500122) plans to induct more expert counsellors.