Srinagar, June 19: The Counselling Cell, in collaboration with the Cultural Club of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar, organised two online Faculty Upgradation Programmes aimed at enhancing faculty skills in student mentoring, counselling, mental health, emotional well-being and emotional intelligence.

The inaugural session was chaired by Vice-Chancellor-in-Charge and Dean Research & Consultancy, Prof. Roohie Naaz Mir, who appreciated the initiative and emphasized the importance of such programmes in strengthening academic support systems.
In his message, Director NIT Srinagar, Prof. Binod Kumar Kanaujia, said faculty members must be equipped not only with academic expertise but also with mentoring and emotional support skills to effectively guide students in today’s evolving educational environment.
Registrar Prof. Atikur Rahman highlighted the growing importance of mental health and emotional well-being in higher education and lauded the Counselling Cell and Cultural Club for organising the programmes.
The workshops were coordinated by Dr. Neeraj Gupta, Dr. Vijay Kumar, Dr. Dinesh Kumar Rajendran and Counsellor Aamir Bashir.
The first workshop, titled “Student Mentoring and Counselling,” featured Clinical Psychologist Wasim Rashid Kakroo and Counsellor Aamir Bashir. The session focused on student mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, stress, burnout and academic pressure. Faculty members were trained to identify early signs of emotional distress and provide appropriate support.
The second workshop, “Mental Health, Well-Being and Emotional Intelligence,” was led by Dr. Devendra Singh Basera, Assistant Professor and Consultant Neuro-Psychiatrist at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Government Medical College, Rajasthan, along with Aamir Bashir.
Dr. Basera highlighted the importance of emotional intelligence in teaching, leadership, mentorship and professional well-being. He discussed strategies for improving communication, resilience, conflict resolution, empathy and emotional regulation, while addressing challenges such as publication pressure, grant rejections, student engagement and team management.
The programmes concluded with active faculty participation and discussions on creating a supportive, emotionally healthy and student-centric academic environment.