Why mentoring matters in higher education
Mentoring in higher education is a governance and student-support issue, not only an academic routine
- Faculty members are expected to counsel students and support both academic and non-academic aspects of student life.
- Mentoring has often become a paperwork-based ritual aimed at accreditation compliance rather than genuine student support.
- Many teachers have subject expertise but lack training to mentor students effectively on psycho-social issues.
- Faculty members should refer students to professional counsellors when student problems require specialised mental health support.
Mentoring in higher education is presented as a core part of student welfare, not a ceremonial add-on. A. Joseph Dorairaj argues that mentors can shape academic choices, emotional confidence, and responsible adulthood, which makes mentoring relevant to both institutional governance and social development.
Indian higher educational institutions already expect faculty members to counsel students and help them manage academic and non-academic concerns. The same institutional duty has too often become a paperwork-based ritual designed to satisfy accreditation requirements rather than a genuine support system for students.
UPSC may use this topic to test the difference between formal compliance and meaningful student support in higher educational institutions, the need for faculty training, and the role of mentors in student well-being and institutional quality.
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