As you walk through the narrow lanes of Old Rajendra Nagar in Delhi, one thing becomes clear, this is not just a neighbourhood. It’s a battlefield of dreams. Thousands of students, most far from home, live in small rooms and spend long hours buried in books. They are all preparing for one of India’s toughest exams, the UPSC Civil Services Exam. The pressure is intense, and emotional breakdowns are common.
But now, in the middle of this high-pressure zone, a new initiative is bringing comfort. A small police booth in the area has started offering free mental health support to struggling students. Every evening from 5 to 6 pm, trained counsellors are available at the booth to help students deal with stress, loneliness and exam burnout.
A different kind of help from the Police
Central Delhi DCP M Harsha Vardhan told TOI, “We began this about a month ago with help from counsellors and psychologists. Our officers visited libraries and spoke to students. We also spread the word through WhatsApp groups. Soon, students, both seniors and newcomers, started coming in every day.”
He added that 2-3 students visit the booth daily, and the number is slowly growing.
Students share their stories
For many students, this free counselling is a rare chance to talk about their problems without judgement.
Nishant, 23, from Bihar, shared, “Most of us live in small PG rooms and study all day in libraries. It gets lonely and stressful. I started overthinking everything. These counselling sessions helped me see things differently and gave me hope. Therapy is usually very costly, so this support means a lot.”
Another aspirant, Umesh, 30, from Haryana, said, “I left a government job to prepare for UPSC because I wanted to serve the country. But after a few failed attempts, I felt broken. When I heard about this booth, I gave it a try. That one hour of counselling really helped.”
Real problems, real support
Dr Imran Noorani, a senior psychologist working at the booth, said they provide therapy, career guidance, emotional support and group sessions.
“We see the hidden side of student life here, panic attacks, anxiety, self-harm, and deep stress. More than 100 students have come to us already. We hope more come forward to talk and heal,” he told TOI.
Inputs from TOI
But now, in the middle of this high-pressure zone, a new initiative is bringing comfort. A small police booth in the area has started offering free mental health support to struggling students. Every evening from 5 to 6 pm, trained counsellors are available at the booth to help students deal with stress, loneliness and exam burnout.
A different kind of help from the Police
Central Delhi DCP M Harsha Vardhan told TOI, “We began this about a month ago with help from counsellors and psychologists. Our officers visited libraries and spoke to students. We also spread the word through WhatsApp groups. Soon, students, both seniors and newcomers, started coming in every day.”
He added that 2-3 students visit the booth daily, and the number is slowly growing.
Students share their stories
For many students, this free counselling is a rare chance to talk about their problems without judgement.
Nishant, 23, from Bihar, shared, “Most of us live in small PG rooms and study all day in libraries. It gets lonely and stressful. I started overthinking everything. These counselling sessions helped me see things differently and gave me hope. Therapy is usually very costly, so this support means a lot.”
Another aspirant, Umesh, 30, from Haryana, said, “I left a government job to prepare for UPSC because I wanted to serve the country. But after a few failed attempts, I felt broken. When I heard about this booth, I gave it a try. That one hour of counselling really helped.”
Real problems, real support
Dr Imran Noorani, a senior psychologist working at the booth, said they provide therapy, career guidance, emotional support and group sessions.
“We see the hidden side of student life here, panic attacks, anxiety, self-harm, and deep stress. More than 100 students have come to us already. We hope more come forward to talk and heal,” he told TOI.
Inputs from TOI
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