Sharp decline in student well-being from Grade 8 to 12, IC3 study finds

New Delhi: Student well-being in India declines sharply as they progress through senior school years, according to the Student Well-Being Pulse Report released by the IC3 Institute. The findings, based on responses from 8,515 students across India, show a consistent drop in overall well-being, happiness, confidence, and motivation from Grade 8 to Grade 12.

The report, launched at the 10th Annual IC3 Conference and Expo in Mumbai on August 20, 2026, highlights that the proportion of students reporting high overall well-being fell from 62% in Grade 8 to 43% in Grade 12. Happiness declined from 65% to 48%, confidence from 64% to 47%, and motivation from 64% to 49% in the same period.

The study also notes that negative emotions intensify with age. Anxiety, low energy, frustration, loneliness, and sadness all peak among students in Grades 11 and 12. When students seek help, they most commonly turn to friends (49%) and family (44%), while 13% reach out to teachers and only 6% to school counsellors. Notably, 52% of students believe that therapy or counselling would be helpful, indicating openness to structured support when accessible.

Gender gap in emotional health

The report reveals that girls experience significantly higher levels of negative emotions than boys across every category. For instance, 33% of girls reported experiencing anxiety 'often' or 'always', compared to 23% of boys. This gender gap persists across loneliness, frustration, sadness, and low energy.

Negative emotions also rise steadily with grade level. The report states that seniors in Grades 11 and 12 show the worst overall emotional well-being profile, reflecting academic pressure, board exams, college planning, and burnout.

Areas of resilience

Despite the decline, students generally reported high levels of flourishing, particularly in social belonging and emotional connection. Overall, 62% of students felt happy at school, 78% had a close friend at school, and 74% felt safe and included. Additionally, 78% said their friends and family support them, and 70% said they feel hopeful about their future. Girls tend to flourish more socially and emotionally, while boys rate themselves higher on personal resilience measures.

However, well-being declined steadily with each grade, with Grade 12 showing sharp drops across every indicator. Grade 8 students reported the highest flourishing, and Grade 12 the lowest.

Alarming sleep patterns

Sleep patterns also deteriorate as students advance. Among students in Grades 11 and 12, 19% reported sleeping less than five hours, nearly half slept only 5–6 hours, and only 22–23% got the recommended 7–8 hours of sleep. The report notes that these are years where cognitive performance and emotional resilience are most needed, yet students appear to be the most sleep-deprived.

The 2025 Student Well-being Pulse Report was conducted by the IC3 Institute in collaboration with the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations. It underscores the need for stronger mental health support systems in schools, especially for senior students facing academic and career pressures.