The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has introduced significant revisions to its affiliation bylaws, making the provision of comprehensive student counseling services mandatory for all affiliated schools. These crucial changes, aimed at enhancing student mental health and providing robust career guidance, were approved by the CBSE Governing Body on November 26, 2025, and subsequently ratified on December 24, 2025. Under the updated Clause 2.4.12 of the Affiliation Bye-Laws, every secondary and senior secondary school must now appoint a 'Counseling & Wellness Teacher' (Socio-Emotional Counselor) and a 'Career Counselor'. The mandate specifies a student-to-counselor ratio of 1:500 for students enrolled in Classes 9 to 12. This means a school with 1,500 students in these classes would require at least three socio-emotional and three career counselors. Schools with fewer than 300 students are still required to ensure access to a qualified counselor, either by hiring a full-time professional or through resource-sharing collaborations with neighboring institutions. These newly appointed counselors must possess specific academic qualifications, such as a Bachelor's or Master's degree in psychology, counseling, or social work for socio-emotional roles, and relevant degrees in humanities, science, social sciences, management, education, or technology for career guidance. Furthermore, the CBSE has stipulated that all counselors must undergo a mandatory 50 hours of professional development training, sanctioned by the board, to standardize the quality of counseling services across schools. The changes underscore CBSE's commitment to the holistic development of students, addressing academic pressures and psychosocial needs, and are expected to be implemented from the upcoming academic session.