An interactive workshop titled “Mind Matters” was organized by the Supreme Court on Tuesday (September 15, 2020) in collaboration with the Director, Institute of Human Behaviour & Allied Sciences. The objective of the workshop was to create awareness about mental health among the Court staff and help them to manage issues such as stress, anxiety & distress caused due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Supreme Court press note dated September 14 said that the workshop aims to “ensure overall wellness & to create awareness amongst stakeholders i.e. officers & officials of the registry, advocates as well as litigants to enable them to deal with the strain, fear & anxieties induced by the pandemic”.

The note also mentioned about the presence of all officers of the rank of registrars & additional registrars in the workshop that was scheduled at 3:30 PM in the Supreme Court's additional building. 

On September 12, Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde spoke about the importance of mental health during the pandemic, in fact, he added that the Court is in the process of setting up a mental health initiative. Certainly, the workshop was the “first step” of the initiative by CJI Bobde to ensure overall wellness and health management amongst the Court Staff in time of such prevailing uncertainty amid the pandemic. 

There are other plans in the pipeline as well in regards to the initiative including, setting up a Mental wellness Helpdesks & teleconsultation.