3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jul 15, 2026 07:20 PM IST
More than 2,000 students have enrolled in the University of Delhi’s “Science of Happiness” course since its launch two years ago, with the value-added course now being offered by 17 colleges and one university department, officials said on Wednesday.
The progress of the course was reviewed at a meeting chaired by Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh, where principals and representatives from participating colleges shared their experiences of implementing the programme.
Expressing satisfaction over the response to the course, Singh said happiness is life’s greatest achievement and could be attained by thinking positively about others and performing good deeds.
“The world is a wonderful place; if you do good, good things will happen,” the vice chancellor said.
According to the university, the course has received encouraging feedback from colleges, with several institutions reporting positive outcomes among students.
Singh said that while such courses were uncommon earlier, changing social realities had made them increasingly relevant.
He also identified drug abuse as a major challenge affecting young people and called for strengthening the university’s “drug-free campus” campaign, launched by Vice President C P Radhakrishnan. He suggested that the Patel Chest Institute could also contribute to the initiative.
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During the meeting, principals of Miranda House and Daulat Ram College said they had established “Mind Labs” to support teaching and research related to the course, while several other colleges are planning to set up similar facilities.
Delhi University signed a memorandum of understanding with the Rekhi Foundation for Happiness in March 2024 to establish the Rekhi Centre of Excellence for the Science of Happiness, following which the course was introduced as a value-added course.
Dean of Academic Affairs K Ratnabali said the one-semester course is currently offered across the first four undergraduate semesters and is also available through the university’s Department of Psychology.
She said the university is also considering introducing the course as a skill-based paper at the postgraduate level in the future.
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The course is currently offered by the Department of Psychology and 17 colleges, including Miranda House, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Hindu College, Hansraj College, Shri Ram College of Commerce, Gargi College, Daulat Ram College, Jesus and Mary College, Kirori Mal College and Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College, among others