Key Points
- ICMR-MINDS wins Gold at National e-Governance Awards for AI-driven mental health platform
- Platform enables non-specialist health workers to deliver standardised mental healthcare
- Initiative deployed across seven states through seven medical institutions including AIIMS
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has won the Gold Award at the National Awards for e-Governance 2026 for ICMR-MINDS, an artificial intelligence-powered platform that enables non-specialist health workers to screen and manage mental health disorders.
The award was presented in the Innovation by Use of AI and Other New Age Technologies category at the 29th National Conference on e-Governance held in Jaipur on 1–2 July 2026.
ICMR-MINDS addresses a critical gap in India’s healthcare system — the shortage of mental health specialists. The platform uses a Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS), a software tool that guides healthcare workers through diagnosis and treatment decisions, to shift routine mental health tasks from specialists to trained frontline providers such as ASHA workers and primary care nurses.
The platform screens patients for mental and substance use disorders, provides role-based clinical guidance, and operates offline in areas with poor connectivity. It supports multiple Indian languages and includes gamified features to keep healthcare workers engaged with the system.
A key feature is the continuity-of-care framework that creates structured referral pathways between primary health centres and specialist facilities. Patients whose conditions stabilise can receive follow-up care at their nearest health facility, while specialists focus on complex cases. This reduces patient dropout and eases pressure on tertiary care centres that currently handle cases that could be managed locally.
The platform provides real-time dashboards for administrators to monitor service delivery across facilities. Healthcare workers receive evidence-based prompts for screening, assessment and routine management without needing to consult specialists for every decision.
ICMR-MINDS -Seven-state deployment
ICMR-MINDS is currently operational across seven states through partnerships with leading medical institutions. These include the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Guwahati, New Delhi, Bhopal and Bhubaneswar; Gujarat Institute of Mental Health in Ahmedabad; St John’s Medical College in Bengaluru; and the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh.
The initiative works with state health departments in Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Punjab. District health authorities and state mental health programme teams coordinate field implementation.
The award was presented by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union minister of state for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. Also present were Rajyavardhan Rathore, Rajasthan’s minister for Information Technology and Communication; V Srinivas, chief secretary, Government of Rajasthan; and Nivedita Shukla Verma, secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).
Rajiv Bahl, secretary, Department of Health Research, and director general, ICMR, said the recognition reflected the council’s commitment to technology-driven public health solutions.
By the numbers
- 7 states
- States where ICMR-MINDS is currently deployed
- 7 institutions
- Medical colleges partnering on implementation
“ICMR will continue to pioneer data-driven, scalable technology interventions to solve complex public health challenges,” Bahl said. “Through ongoing collaboration with participating institutions and state health systems, ICMR remains committed to providing affordable, standardised, and high-quality healthcare platforms for the people of India.”
DARPG instituted the National Awards for e-Governance to recognise government initiatives that improve citizen services through technology. The awards are presented annually at the National Conference on e-Governance.
Your Questions, Answered
What is ICMR-MINDS?
ICMR-MINDS is an AI-powered platform developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research that enables non-specialist frontline health workers to screen and manage mental health and substance use disorders. It uses a Clinical Decision Support System to provide evidence-based guidance for routine mental healthcare.
Which states have deployed ICMR-MINDS?
The platform is operational in seven states — Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Punjab — through partnerships with institutions including AIIMS, PGIMER Chandigarh and St John's Medical College Bengaluru.
What award did ICMR-MINDS receive?
ICMR-MINDS won the Gold Award in the Innovation by Use of AI and Other New Age Technologies for Providing Citizen-Centric Services category at the National Awards for e-Governance 2026, presented by DARPG.
How does the ICMR-MINDS platform help with India's mental health specialist shortage?
The platform enables task-shifting from specialists to trained frontline workers such as ASHA workers and primary care nurses. It provides clinical guidance, works offline and creates referral pathways so specialists focus only on complex cases.
