Current Status of

UNIT 2 CURRENT STATUS OF Counselling with Special

Reference to India
COUNSELLING WITH SPECIAL
REFERENCE TO INDIA
Structure
2.0 Introduction
2.1 Objectives
2.2 Development of Counselling and Guidance Centres in India
2.2.1 Calcutta University
2.2.2 Bombay University
2.2.3 Patna University
2.2.4 Parsi Panchayat
2.2.5 The Uttar Pradesh Government
2.2.6 The Bombay Government
2.2.7 Workshops and Seminars at Delhi
2.2.8 Secondary Education Commission
2.2.9 Central Bureau of Educational and Vocational Guidance
2.2.10 State Bureaus of Educational and Vocational Guidance
2.3 The Secondary Stage Services of Guidance and Counselling Psychology in India
2.3.1 Central Government (Ministry of Education)
2.3.2 National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)
2.3.3 National Employment Service
2.3.4 Guidance Services at the State Level.
2.3.5 Educational and Vocational Guidance Bureaus of India
2.3.6 Area of State Directorate of Employment and Training
2.3.7 Training in Colleges and Universities
2.3.8 Private Guidance Agencies
2.3.9 Guidance Services in Secondary Schools
2.4 Counselling Psychology: Education and Training
2.4.1 Qualification for Counselling Courses
2.4.2 Eligibility for Clinical and Counselling Psychology
2.4.3 Institutions Offering Course in Counseling
2.4.4 Benefits of Counselling Courses
2.4.5 Scope for Counselling in India
2.4.6 Scope for Counselling Abroad
2.5 Careers in Clinical and Counseling Psychology
2.5.1 Clinical and Counselling Psychology Programmes
2.5.2 Careers in Clinical and Counselling Psychology Prospects
2.5.3 List of Colleges Offering Clinical and Counselling Psychology Courses
2.6 India’s Two Leading Organisations
2.6.1 Department of Mental Health and Social Psychology
(NIMHANS, Bangalore)
2.6.2 The National Council of Educational Research and Training
(NCERT, New Delhi)
2.7 Counselling Psychology: An Overview
2.8 Let Us Sum Up
2.9 Unit End Questions
2.10 Suggested Readings
19
2.11 Answers to Self Assessment Questions
Counsellng: Future
Directions (E-Counselling) 2.0 INTRODUCTION
This unit deals with the development of counselling educational centres in India and
different courses in counselling psychology. After that the focus would be on the
counselling centres which provide counselling to the individuals who faced different
day to day life problems e.g. family problems, marriage problems and individual
mental health and adjustment problems.

2.1 OBJECTIVES
After reading this unit, you will be able to:
● Be aware of the status of counselling psychology in India;
● Follow the procedures to become a professional counsellor;
● Acquire knowledge about the different courses and centres which are providing
education and training in the area of counselling psychology; and
● Develop knowledge about the centres which give counselling services to the
masses.

2.2 DEVELOPMENT OF COUNSELLING AND

GUIDANCE CENTRES IN INDIA
2.2.1 Calcutta University
Calcutta University set up the first psychological laboratory in India in the year 1915.
A separate section of research in Applied Psychology was opened under the direction
of Dr. G. S. Bose in 1936 in order to adopt psychological tests prepared in America
to suit the Indian conditions and to satisfy the vocational needs of Indian students.

2.2.2 Bombay University

In 1941, Batliboi Vocational Guidance Bureau was established in Bombay.

2.2.3 Patna University

A Department of Psychological Services and Research was established in 1945,
offering personal and vocational guidance to students and constituting a number of
psychological tests.

2.2.4 Parsi Panchayat

The Trustees of the Parsi Panchayat Funds and Properties established the Parsi
Panchayat Vocational Guidance Bureau in 1947. Dr. H.P. Mehta, its first Director,
published the journal of Vocational and Educational Guidance.

2.2.5 The Uttar Pradesh Government

In 1947, the U.P. Government established the Bureau of Psychology at Allahabad
on the recommendations of Acharya Narendra Deo Committee.

20
2.2.6 The Bombay Government Current Status of
Counselling with Special
Reference to India
The Bombay Government in the year 1947, set up the Vocational Guidance Bureau
in Bombay renamed as Institute of Vocational Guidance in 1957. In 1952, the
Vocational Guidance Association of Bombay was formed to coordinate the efforts
of various individuals and agencies in the field of guidance in Bombay.

2.2.7 Workshop and Seminars at Delhi

In March 1953, Dr.W.L. Barnette, an American Professor, held a workshop at
the Central Institute of Education, Delhi. A second seminar was held in November
1954 at the same place. It was decided to form an All India Educational and Vocational
Guidance Association and to affiliate it to the International Association for Vocational
Guidance.

2.2.8 Secondary Education Commission (1952-53)

On the recommendations of Secondary Education Commission (1952-53), the old
unilateral education system was replaced by a scheme of diversified courses. The
Commission provided for seven different streams at the Secondary Stage-humanities,
science, agriculture, commerce, technical, fine arts, and home science.

2.2.9 Central Bureau of Educational and Vocational

Guidance
In 1954, the Ministry of Education, Government of India, set up the Central Bureau
of Educational and Vocational Guidance.
In July, 1958 it started a ten months’ course for training counsellors in the field of
student personnel work in the Central Bureau’s premises in the Central Institute of
Education, Delhi. Earlier a part of the Ministry of Education, the Bureau has become
a part of the Department of Psychological Foundations of the National Institute of
Education under the National Council of Educational Research and Training. The
Extension Services Department of the Central Institute of Education, Delhi, conducted
two long-term courses in Educational and Vocational Guidance. during 1957 and
58 to provide in-service training of teachers so that they should work either as
career-masters or as teacher-counsellors. (R.N. Sharma, 2004)

2.2.10 State Bureaus of Educational and Vocational

Guidance
These were established to perform the following functions:
a) Organisation of sample group guidance activities for a few schools.
b) Collection of occupational information and production of information material,
establish state level information centres
c) Development and adaptation of translation of tests, questionnaires, check lists, etc.
d) Training of guidance workers.
e) Planning, coordination and supervision of guidance service within the State.
f) Consultative and field services.
g) Research
h) Organising courses in guidance and counselling
i) Individual Counselling and group guidance 21
Counsellng: Future j) Organise short term training programmes and orientation programmes
Directions (E-Counselling)
k) Standardization of psychological test
l) Publications

2.3 THE SECONDARY STAGE SERVICES OF

GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING
PSYCHOLOGY IN INDIA
In India Guidance and counselling services at the Secondary stage are organised at
the following four levels:

2.3.1 Central Government (Ministry of Education)

The Union Ministry of Education and the National Council of Educational Research
and Training, are concerned with guidance services in higher secondary schools at
the Central Government level.
The Ministry has promoted the development of guidance by providing financial
assistance as well as professional leadership to States offered through the Central
Bureau of Educational and Vocational Guidance established as a part of the Ministry
of Education and later the Bureau was made a part of the Central Institute of
Education under the Ministry of Education and at last merged with the National
Council of Educational Research and Training (N.C.E.R T.).

2.3.2 National Council of Educational Research and

Training (NCERT)
National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) was established
on 1st September 1961, as an autonomous organisation to function as an academic
adviser to the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Education,
Government of India. The Ministry draws upon the expertise of the NCERT in
formulating and implementing its policies and programmes in school education.
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), in collaboration
with Commonwealth of Learning (COL), Canada, is offering an International Diploma
Course in Guidance and Counselling.
As a technical wing of the Ministry of Education it, undertakes the different types of
activities in the field of guidance and counselling e.g. Leadership, researches, training,
extension services, field services, publications. There are two journals of the
N.C.E.R.T. viz., Indian Educational Review and the N.I.E. journal.

2.3.3 National Employment Service

This organisation is primarily concerned with the offering of vocational guidance to
school youth and adults through its Vocational Guidance Units. Its Vocational
Guidance Officers assist the State and private organisations in conducting training
courses for career masters through talks on career and organisation of career
conferences

2.3.4 Guidance Services at the State Level

State Bureaus of Educational and Vocational Guidance have been set up in almost
all the States and Union Territories, some of them administratively a part of the
Directorate of Education others either a part of the State Council of Educational
22
Research and Training as in Andhra Pradesh or of the State Institute of Education as Current Status of
Counselling with Special
in Kerala and Delhi. Reference to India

2.3.5 Educational and Vocational Guidance Bureaus in India

These were established in different parts of the country. The list is given in then table
below:

S. No. State/Union Territory

1. Andaman& Nicobar Islands State Bureaus has not been established
2. Andhra Pradesh Department of Educational Foundations,
SCERT, Hyderabad
3. Arunachal Pradesh There is no State Bureau
4. Assam The State Bureau is attached to the office of
the DPI
5. Delhi The Bureau is a Unit of the SCERT
6. Gujarat Institute of Vocational Guidance, Ahmedabad
7. Haryana Guidance and Counselling Wing is a part of the
SCERT, Haryana
8. Himachal Pradesh State Bureau exists under the Directorate of
Education, Himachal Pradesh
9. Karnataka S.B.E.YG. is a part of Department of SCERT
under the Directorate of Public Instruction
10. Kerala S.B.E.YG.is a part of the State Institute of. of
Education.
11. Madhya Pradesh S.B.E.V G. is a part of the Educational
Psychology and Guidance, Jabalpur
12. Maharashtra Institute of Vocational Guidance and Section
with a Sub-Bureau at Pune
13. Manipur S.B.E.YG. is a part of the office of the
Director of Education
14. Mizoram E.YG. Unit is attached to SCERT, Mizoram
15. Orissa ——
16. Pondicherry ——
17. Punjab S.B.E.VG. exists separately under the
Department of Education
18. Rajasthan S.B.E.V G. is a part of the SCERT
19. Sikkim ——
20. Tarnil Nadu ——
21. Tripura S.B.E.V G. has been set up independently under
the Dapartment of Education
22. Uttar Pradesh Bureau of Psychology functions under the
control of State Director of Education and the
Director, SCER. It functions at the regional and
school levels
23. WestBengal ——
24. Meghalaya E.YG.B. is a part of SCERT
25. Dadra & Nagar S.B.E.VG. exists under Directorate of
Education
23
Counsellng: Future 2.3.6 Area of State Directorate of Employment and
Directions (E-Counselling)
Training
1) Organisation of occupational information programme.
2) Employment market information programme.
3) Careers study centres.
4) Foreign employment and training information centres.
5) Selection of courses and institutions.
6) Admission matters.
7) Scholarships, fellowships, assistantship and apprenticeships.
8) Information about passport and visa.
9) Employment prospects and Part-time employment.
10) Special units for the handicapped.

2.3.7 Training in Colleges and Universities

These offer courses in guidance in programme for the degrees of B.Ed. and M.A. in
Psychology. Some of these also train career masters through organising short-term
courses.

2.3.8 Private Guidance Agencies

Some private guidance agencies have been sponsored by charitable trusts, social
welfare organisations or educational societies in India.

2.3.9 Guidance Services in Secondary Schools

Guidance Services in secondary schools are conducted by the following guidance
personnel conducting well-equipped guidance services in schools:
i) The Principal and his colleagues.
ii) A guidance counsellor.
iii) Teacher-counsellor or career masters.
iv) Specialists in specific areas of service (part-time or full-time), which include
the following:
a) Social worker.
b) Psychologist.
c) Doctor, dentist, nurse.
d) Parents.
e) Community health, welfare and guidance agencies.

2.4 COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGY: EDUCATION

AND TRAINING
2.4.1 Qualifications for Counselling Courses
Certificate, Diploma and PG Diploma courses on counselling are offered by various
24 institutes all over India. For pursuing a PG Diploma in Clinical and Community
psychology, you need to have a graduation in Psychology. For admission to diploma Current Status of
Counselling with Special
program in Guidance and counselling, some institutes prefer candidates with a Reference to India
Bachelors degree in Home Sc., Education or Arts, whereas others admit candidates
with a M.A/ M.Ed. (psychology) degree.
Counselling courses also include a certificate course in Guidance. Candidates with
M.A degree in Psychology can apply for Diploma program in Vocational Rehabilitation
and Counselling and PG Diploma course in Rehabilitation Psychology. Postgraduate
candidates can also apply for PG Diploma in counselling.

2.4.2 Eligibility for Clinical and Counselling Psychology

The successful completion of an M.A. or M.Sc. Degree in Psychology with a minimum
of 55 per cent marks in aggregate is the minimum eligibility criteria for pursuing a
professional course in counselling psychology.
The aggregate percentage marks are relaxable by five percent for the students
belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.
2 Years of practical experience in offering counselling services is also an eligibility
criteria at several institutes.
Students, who have merely completed their Post graduation in Social Work or in
Psychology, are also offering counselling services, even though they are not registered
under the RCI.
The RCI issues a registration number to every Clinical Psychologist and counsellors
which has to be renewed after every 5 Years.

2.4.3 Institutions Offering Courses on Counselling

The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in Gujarat
● NCERT in New Delhi
● All India Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in Maharashtra
● Annamalai University in Tamil Nadu
● SNDT Women’s University in Maharashtra
● University of Madras in Tamil Nadu
● Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya in Madhya Pradesh
● Regional Institute of Education in Madhya Pradesh
● Regional Institute of Education in Karnataka

2.4.4 Benefits of Counselling Courses

More and more people are resorting to counselling to solve various crises of their
lives. After pursuing counselling courses, students acquire helping skills to counsel
and guide people for coping up with their educational, social or personal crisis.

2.4.5 Scope for Counselling in India

Once you complete counselling courses, you can choose from several job profiles in
India. Trained personnel can opt to work in marriage counselling agencies, schools
and colleges, old age homes, counselling centres, welfare departments of governments
or remain self employed.
25
Counsellng: Future 2.4.6 Scopes for Counselling Abroad
Directions (E-Counselling)
In the countries in the West, counsellors are held in the same rank as other medical
practitioners. Their remunerations are thus higher than that in India. Counsellors can
opt for practicing abroad in the same fields offering counselling jobs in this country.

2.5 CAREERS IN CLINICAL AND COUNSELLING

PSYCHOLOGY
One needs to be kind and compassionate in nature in order to be a good Clinical
Psychologist since this profession entails the practitioners to understand and solve
the problems of people through counselling. One should have a good understanding
of the workings of the human mind and should also have a natural propensity to
unravel the deepest mysteries of the human mind.
The counselling is a very good tool to prevent the mental health and stress oriented
problems. It is a difficult task to deal with patients exhibiting abnormal mental
behaviour; hence a lot of patience is required on the part of a counsellor. In the
profession of Clinical Psychology, a counsellor picks up a lot of negative thoughts
and emotions from the patients. Hence, one should have the ability of ventilating all
the negativity picked up during counselling.
Moreover, one should also have strong skills of persuasion in order to help patients
break their mental blocks. Effective communication skills are also required, since
one has to uncover the innermost workings of the patients’ mental processes by
talking with them.

2.5.1 Clinical and Counselling Psychology Programmes

Various courses in Clinical Psychology are offered by universities and institutes across
the country. One can go in for an M. Phil. Program of 2 Years duration.
2 Year M. Phil Programs are available at the Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP) in
Ranchi (Jharkhand), the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences
(NIMHANS) in Bangalore (Karnataka) and at the Institute of Human Behaviour
and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) in New Delhi. The IHBAS inducts its M. Phil. Program
every Year.
Each of the above mentioned institutes conducts independent, All India level entrance
examinations for candidates wishing to get admission into M. Phil Programs at these
institutes. The candidates who qualify in the written examination also have to clear
an interview in order to get admission. Diploma courses and Certificate courses in
Clinical Psychology are also offered by several institutes across the country.
The Jamia Millia Islamia (New Delhi) and a few regional centres of the NCERT
(National Council of Educational Research and Training) offer Diploma courses in
Clinical Psychology. The RCI recommends a practice - oriented curriculum for
students pursuing any course (Degree, Diploma or Certificate) in Clinical Psychology
and counselling. The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) recommends an OPD
(Out Patient Department) in every institute offering a course in Clinical Psychology.
It also recommends the restriction of theory - related teaching to only 30 per cent of
the syllabus while laying more stress on practical learning.

26
2.5.2 Careers in Clinical and Counselling Psychology Current Status of
Counselling with Special
Prospects Reference to India

One who has done a course in Clinical Psychology will be able to find jobs in the
government sector. One will also be able to find jobs in the licensed psychiatric
nursing homes. Clinical Psychologists are also required in the non - governmental
organisations (NGOs) who are engaged in offering counselling services.
One can also find a job as a full time career counsellor in a school, since the Central
Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has directed for the appointment of at least
one full time career counsellor in each and every school under its affiliation. One can
also specialise in marital counselling if one has obtained a professional degree in
Clinical Psychology. Moreover, the prospects of earning name and fame are quite
bright if one sets up a clinic and starts counselling independently.

2.5.3 List of Colleges Offering the Clinical and Counselling

Psychology Courses
Course Name Institutes offering the courses
M. Sc. Psychology Bangalore University, Bangalore (Karnataka),
Jnana Bharathi, Bangalore - 560 056.
Sri Venkatehswara University, Tirupati (Andhra
Pradesh) Tirupati - 517 502, Chittor, Andhra
Pradesh.
University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal -
700 073.
University of Mysore, Mysore (Karnataka),
Mysore Viswavidyalaya Karya Soudha,
Crawford Hall, P.B. No. 17, Mysore - 570 005.
M.Sc. Holistic Psychology Bangalore University, Bangalore (Karnataka),
Jnana Bharathi, Bangalore - 560 056.
M.Phil. in Psychology Gujarat University, Ahmedabad (Gujarat) PB
No.4010, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad - 380 009.
Gurunanak Dev University, Amritsar, (Punjab).
Sardar Patel University, Gujarat (Gujarat), Vallabh
Vidyanagar - 388 120, Gujarat.
University of Mysore, Mysore (Karnataka),
Mysore Viswavidyalaya Karya Soudha,
Crawford Hall, P.B. No. 17, Mysore - 570 005.
M. Phil. in Rehabilitation Mahatma Gandhi (M.G) University, Kerala
Psychology (Kerala) Priyadarsini Hills P. O., Kottayam,
Kerala, India - 686 560.
National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped,
Manovikas Nagar, Secunderabad - 500 009,
(Andhra Pradesh).
National Institute for the Mentally
Handicapped, Manovikas Nagar, P.O.
Bowenpally, Secunderabad - 500 011.
P.G. Diploma in C.A.H Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda,
Psychology Vadodara, (Gujarat) Fatehgunj, Vadodara-390
002.
27
Counsellng: Future
Directions (E-Counselling) P.G. Diploma in Clinical and Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda,
Community Psychology (CCP) Vadodara, (Gujarat), Fatehgunj, Vadodara - 390
002.
Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology Bangalore University, Bangalore, (Karnataka)
Jnana Bharathi, Bangalore - 560 056.
Gurunanak Dev University, Amritsar, (Punjab).
Post Graduate Diploma in Punjabi University, Patiala, (Chandigarh) Arts
Counselling Psychology Block No. 1, First Floor, Patiala - 147 002, India.
M.A. (Psychology) Barakatullah Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal, (Madhya
Pradesh).
Behrampur University, Bhanja Bihar, Orissa - 760
007.
Bhagalpur University, (Bihar), Bhagalpur - 812 007.
Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, MGM Medical
College, AB Road, Indore - 452 001.
Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat - 380 009.
Gurunanak Dev University, Amritsar, (Punjab).
Himachal Pradesh University, Summer Hills,
Shimla - 171 005.
Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi -
110 025.
Jodhpur University, Jodhpur, (Rajasthan), Jodhpur
- 313 001.
Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, Haryana -
136 119.
Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Darbhanga,
Bihar - 840 004.
Magadh University, Bodh Gaya, Bihar - 824 234.
Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda,
Vadodara - 390 002.
Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak,
(Haryana).
Mahatma Gandhi (M.G) University, Priyadarsini
Hills P.O., Kottayam, Kerala, India - 686 560.
Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur - 313 001.
North Eastern Hill University, (Meghalaya),
Shillong - 793 001.
Punjabi University, Patiala, (Chandigarh), Patiala
- 147 002.
Sambalpur University, Burla, Orissa - 768 019.
Sardar Patel University, Gujarat, Gujarat - 388 120.
Saurashtra University, Rajkot, Gujarat - 360 005.
South Gujarat University, Surat, Gujarat - 395 007.
University of Calicut, Kozhikode - 673 008.
University of Delhi, Delhi, (Delhi), Delhi - 110 007.
Utkal University, Bhubaneshwar, Orissa - 751 004.

28
 Current Status of
Self Assessment Questions Counselling with Special
Reference to India
1) When was the Central Bureau of Educational and Vocational Guidance set
up?
a) 1958 b) 1957
c) 1954 d) 1945
2) Which of the following journals is not published by NCERT?
a) Indian Educational Review
b) N.I.E. journal
c) Indian Journal of Guidance and Counseling
d) None of the above
3) After how many years does the RCI registration no. for professional counselor
needs to be renewed?
a) 5 years b) 4 years
c) 7 years d) 10 years
4) What are the minimum eligibility criteria for admission in a professional
counseling psychology diploma or degree?
a) Graduation with psychology
b) Post Graduation in psychology with 55% Marks
c) Post Graduation with 55% Marks
d) Graduation in psychology with 55% Marks 5.
5) Which of these diploma courses is offered by the NCERT?
a) International Diploma Course in Guidance and Counselling.
b) National Diploma Course in Guidance and Counselling
c) National Diploma Course in Counselling
d) International Diploma Course in Guidance
6) Which of these states does not have a regional institute under NCERT?
a) Bhopal b) Mysore
c) Jodhpur d) Bhubaneswar
7) Which of these following Institutes provides degree in M.Sc. Holistic
Psychology?
a) University of Calcutta b) Sri Venkatehswara University
c) University of Mysore d) Bangalore University
8) In India Guidance and counseling services at the Secondary stage are
organized at which of the following levels?
a) Central Government
b) Guidance Services at the State Level
c) Private agencies and schools
d) All of the above
9) Which of the following university offers a Post Graduate Diploma in
Counselling Psychology?
a) Bangalore University, Bangalore
b) Punjabi University, Patiala
29
Counsellng: Future
Directions (E-Counselling) c) Gurunanak Dev University, Amritsar
d) Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda
10) What is the name of department of psychology at NIMHANS, Bangalore.
a) Department of Mental Health and Social Psychology
b) Department of Mental Health and Psychology
c) Department of Neuropsychology and Social Sciences
d) None of the above

A lot of opportunities are also open for students of Psychology in the UK, the US,
Australia and Singapore. Some Institutions are also running M.Phil. in counselling
psychology.The profession of Clinical Psychology is in a very young stage in India
but is set to expand more in the near future. Together with it, the career scope of
students, who do a course in Clinical Psychology today, will also expand in the near
future.

2.6 INDIA’S TWO LEADING ORGANISATIONS

2.6.1 Department of Mental Health and Social Psychology
(NIMHANS, Bangalore)
It was started in the year 1954 as the Department of Psychology and Human
Relations. It is one of the oldest and largest departments in National Institute of
Mental Health and Allied Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore. In tune with
the guiding philosophy of NIMHANS, the department is engaged in clinical service,
human resource development and research activities. The department has a
sanctioned strength of 18 faculty members, 1 senior scientific officer, 2 junior scientific
officers, 6 clinical psychologists and a teacher for the mentally-challenged persons.
Here Psychological intervention services are provided for adults, children and
adolescents, couples as well as families. The approaches utilised for interventions
include supportive, cognitive- behavioural, emotion-focused, interpersonal and brief
dynamic psychotherapies, marital and family therapies, humanistic-existential
therapies, behaviour modification as well as rehabilitation and cognitive retraining
procedures. These services are individually tailored. In addition, the department is
involved in providing various outreach services for mental health education, awareness
and training. These include school mental health programs, stress management
programs, training in basic counseling skills, parenting- skills training and other
programs for the promotion of mental health and well being for various target groups
in the community.
The department has been offering child and adolescent psychological services since
its inception. At present, the services include assessment of cognitive functions such
as attentional skills, intellectual abilities, memory, specific learning abilities/disabilities
(academic abilities such as reading, writing, spelling and maths), self-concept, stress
and interpersonal relations, fantasy life and internal world of children as well as
parenting skills. The methods of intervention include play therapy, art and narrative
work with children, individual psychotherapy for adolescents, parental counseling
for children and adolescents with mental retardation, autism and learning disabilities
and parent- management training for children with severe behaviour problems such
30
as conduct and oppositional defiant disorders. In addition, remediation-training for Current Status of
Counselling with Special
young children with learning difficulties and behavioural intervention for children with Reference to India
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, emotional and behavioral problems are also
utilised. Services are offered on appointment basis. Since the services offered generally
involve in-depth assessment and individually-tailored, intensive interventions for
addressing multiple problem- areas; the entire process for a given client may usually
span two-to three months.In addition, the psychological services are offered to
schools in terms of school mental health - workshops for teachers and parents to
identify and deal with academic and psychological problems in children and
adolescents. Programs for enhancing mental health of parents and children are also
offered.
The clinical psychology services offered for clients with substance use /dependence
are individually tailored and include psychological assessment of various domains
such as intelligence, personality and interpersonal relationships. Neuropsychological
assessments are also carried out when necessary. The range of psychological
interventions offered includes motivation enhancement therapy, methods for relapse
prevention, individual psychotherapy, marital/family therapy, parental counseling,
cognitive retraining and yoga.
In the Family Psychiatry Centre, therapeutic services are offered for couples and
families who may be referred from adult and child and adolescent mental health units
as well as those who are self- referred. The services are offered on inpatient as well
as outpatient basis. The clinical psychology consultants are an integral part of the
multidisciplinary team and provide intensive inputs in the process of assessment,
intervention and training. Systemic, structural, behavioural, emotion-focused, strategic
and psycho-education are some of the therapeutic approaches utilised.

2.6.2 The National Council of Educational Research and

Training
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) was established
for providing academic support in improving the quality of school education in India.
The focus of the Council is reflected in its emblem. The three intertwined swans
symbolise the integration of three aspects of the work of the NCERT, namely,
Research an d Development, Training, and Extension. All these functions are tuned
to achieve the main objective of improving the quality of school education. The
activities taken up by the NCERT include development of curriculum, textbooks
and instructional materials, training of the key functionaries and research in various
dimensions of school education.
i) Department of Counselling and Guidance
Qualitative improvement of education, through the application of the disciplines of
educational psychology and counselling and guidance, particularly at the elementary,
secondary and senior secondary levels, is the major concern of the Department of
Educational Psychology, Counselling and Guidance of the NCERT. It has been
engaged in research, development and training activities related to counselling and
guidance, identification and development of talent, behaviour technology and
development of syllabi and instructional materials. Its projects/programmes aim at
the optimal development and self actualisation of the learner, in all aspects of his/her
potentialities and functioning. It took steps towards implementing the recommendations
contained in the National Policy on Education (NPE) and Programme of Action
(FOA), bearing on educational Psychology, counselling and guidance. (R.N. Sharma,
2004) 31
Counsellng: Future The NCERT functions through its eight constituent units, viz. (a) National Institute of
Directions (E-Counselling)
Education (NIE), (b) Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET) – both
located at New Delhi, (c) Pandit Sunderlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational
Education (PSSCIVE), Bhopal and five Regional Institutes of Education (RIEs) at
Ajmer, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Mysore and Shillong. This National Institution draws
on the expertise of as many as 600 members of the faculty located in the network of
its constituent units.

ii) International Diploma Course in Guidance and Counselling (IDGC)

NCERT, through the Department of Educational Psychology and Foundations of
Education (DEPFE), has been training the in-service school teachers, teacher
educators, educational administrators as well as untrained guidance personnel through
its diploma courses for many years. In order to make the course accessible to larger
numbers, this course has now been redesigned with components of both distance/
online as well as face-to-face modes. The course is developed and offered by DEPFE,
NIE, New Delhi and other five study centres at Regional Institutes of Education of
NCERT.
The course aims to train in-service teachers, teacher educators, educational
administrators and untrained guidance personnel as counsellors/teacher counsellors
to guide and counsel students in school and other related settings. The course provides
opportunity for interaction among candidates from different cultures and helps to
promote international understanding, harmony and peace among people from various
regions of the world. It has therefore been designed with a special focus on counselling
in a multicultural context.

2.7 COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGY:

AN OVERVIEW
Counselling psychology is not an established profession in India, at least in the formal
sense. While psychology in India is represented by a number of key professional
bodies, including the Indian Association of Clinical Psychologists, there has not been
a move to develop a distinct identity for psychologists involved in counselling. A
limited number of courses on counselling are on offer, but the quality of training is not
monitored for these. What is apparent from a consideration of the situation in India
regarding psychology and counselling, is the need for both western and Indian
philosophies and ideas to come together to form theories and approaches that have
greater face validity to the Indian population and which therefore might more
adequately meet identified needs. For example, Arulmani (2007) draws attention to
the fact that traditional Indian psychology, referred to as Mano Vidya, or ‘mind
knowledge’, is recorded in ancient Indian writings documenting the existence of
psychological ideas and techniques that ‘bear a startling resemblance to ideas put
forth by modern Western psychology and yet predate these efforts by two millennia’
(p. 71). Apparently, there is now some activity in this direction, with the development
of psychological inventories that draw on traditional Indian psychology (Wolf, 1998).
The challenge that these developments present to counselling psychology highlight
the need to contextualise concepts and approaches within a framework that can
cope with different cultural subjectivities, and by doing so recognise the contextual
nature of knowledge and research activity. (Counselling psychology in India).

32
 Current Status of
2.8 LET US SUM UP Counselling with Special
Reference to India
In this unit we have considered the current status of counselling with special reference
to India. Development of Counselling and Guidance Centres in India. We traced
the establishment of counselling psychology courses in the different universities in
India such as the Calcutta University, Bombay University etc. Then we elucidated
the efforts of the various governments in establishing counselling psychology in
different institutions. Then counselling was discussed in the context of UP government,
Delhi and how it was brought under the rubrics of secidary education commission.
This was followed by the establishment of the Central Bureau of Educational and
Vocational guidance and the State of Educational and Vocational guidance. Then
we elaborated on the Secondary Stage services of Guidance and Counselling
Psychology in India. We then took up the establishment of NCERT by the government,
the National Employment Services, Guidance services at the state level and the
establishment of the Educational and vocational guidance bureau of India. Also we
took up the training for counselling in colleges and universities, in private guidance
agencies etc. Then we took up the training issues concerned with counselling, the
qualifications and eligibility requirements for undergoing training in counselling. We
then delineated the Careers in clinical and counselling psychology and the list of
colleges offering clinical and counselling psychology courses.

2.9 UNIT END QUESTIONS

1) What are the different Organisations offering courses on guidance and
Counselling in India.
2) The department of mental health and social psychology, NIMHANS, Bangalore
provides psychological intervention counselling services in which areas?
3) Explain the functions of State Bureaus of Educational and Vocational guidance
in brief.
4) Discuss the current status of counselling psychology in India.
5) Write short note on functioning of NCERT.

2.10 SUGGESTED READINGS

Ram Nath Sharma (2004) Guidance and Counselling, Subjeet Publications, Delhi, India.
Careers in clinical and counseling psychology in India recruited on 19th January
2011 from www.winentrance.com/career_courses.
Counseling courses in India. recruited on 9th January 2011 from www.indiaedu.com/
career-courses/
Counsellling psychology in India. from The Social and Historical Context of
CounsellingHE SOCIAL AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT OFCOUNSELLING
PSYCHOLOGY PDF file www.uk.sagepub.com/upm-data On 19th January 2011
Department of Mental Health and Social Psychology, Recruited on 9th January 2011
from www.nimhans.kar.nic.in
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) recruited on
19th January 2011 from www.ncert.nic.in/announcements

2.11 ANSWERS TO SELF ASSESSMENT

QUESTIONS
33
1) c), 2) c), 3) a), 4) b), 5) a), 6) c), 7) d), 8) d), 9) b), 10) a).