AI-POWERED MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT IN INDIAN EDUCATION: EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

The integration of Artificial Intelligence into mental health support systems within the Indian educational landscape presents a burgeoning field with significant promise and complexities. This review paper synthesizes academic literature from 2020 to 2025 to explore the emerging opportunities and critical challenges associated with AI-powered mental health interventions for students in India. Opportunities include enhanced accessibility and scalability, early detection and personalized support, and reduced stigma surrounding mental health issues. Conversely, significant challenges encompass ethical concerns and algorithmic bias, stringent data privacy and security requirements, inadequate technological infrastructure and the digital divide, the imperative for cultural appropriateness, and existing regulatory and policy gaps. Drawing on Stakeholder Theory, the paper outlines how AI’s broad impacts necessitate a governance approach that actively protects and balances the diverse interests of all affected constituents. Furthermore, it highlights the utility of a proposed 4-Pillar framework—Ethical Architecture, Regulatory Alignment, Organizational Capability Development, and Sustainability & ESG Integration—offering actionable guidance for practitioners and policymakers. This analysis underscores the need for a nuanced, multi-stakeholder approach to harness AI’s transformative potential while mitigating its risks in the unique sociocultural context of Indian education