Balancing Academic duties and Pastoral support:Stakeholder Perspectives on Personal Tutoring at an Indian Higher Education Institute

As universities in India expand student support frameworks, faculty are increasingly tasked with pastoral responsibilities.The personal tutor role exemplifies this shift, positioning faculty as key relational anchors in student mental health promotion.Yet, limited research has examined how this role operates in Indian higher education.This qualitative study draws on eight focus groups with 27 stakeholders-including educators, student support staff, and students-at a large Indian university.Reflexive thematic analysis explored how participants understood and experienced the role, particularly in relation to mental health support.Two themes were developed: (1) Relational Dynamics, highlighting the importance of trust, rapport, and confidentiality; and (2) Systems and Structures, examining institutional conditions shaping the role.Participants reported tensions between pastoral care and academic monitoring, cultural expectations around parental involvement, stigma, and limited time and capacity.While personal tutors aspired to build meaningful connections, they reported emotional strain, role ambiguity, and lack of training or recognition.The findings suggest the model holds promise for integrating care within academic structures but requires clearer role definition, training, institutional support, and attention to equity, workload, and student voice for sustainable implementation.