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Students in India learn how to reduce stress.
Mansi Midha for The Washington Post via Getty Images
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Happiness Class
This school year, students in Delhi, India, are enrolled in a new subject: happiness. There are no textbooks or grades; instead, the first 30 to 45 minutes of each day are devoted to meditation, storytelling, and other activities that reduce stress. It may sound odd, but officials say the course is needed to help improve students’ well-being. India is known for its demanding education standards, and cramming for test after test takes its toll. One in four Indian children ages 13 to 15 struggle with depression because of academic pressure, experts say. In addition, the country has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, with a large percentage among 15- to 29-year-olds. But many kids are hopeful that the happiness classes will help improve both their mental health and their grades. “If the mind stays cool,” student Piyush Sharma told CNN, “we can concentrate on our studies.”