Research paper evaluates clinical psychology education and accreditation in India

Shortage of clinical psychologists in India due to discontinuation of MPhil program raises concerns about education and accreditation standards.

Even as the country is facing a shortage of qualified clinical psychologists — with only 0.47 per 100,000 people, which is way below the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) recommendation of one per 20,000 —  the discontinuation of the MPhil programme under the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP-2020) has raised concerns about the future of clinical psychology education in India.

Since last year, the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) introduced new accredited programmes, including the BSc in Clinical Psychology, Postgraduate Diploma, MPsych, and PsyD in a phased manner. While these courses offer multiple entry and exit points, they have resulted in confusion regarding the quality of training and the clarity of professional roles within the field.

Highlighting the impact of discontinuing the MPhil in Clinical Psychology and the resultant confusion regarding professional competencies and licensure categories, including new roles such as “Clinical Psychologist (Associate)“ and “Counseling Psychologist (Mental Health),”  a recent paper by clinical psychologists from Devi Ahilya University, Indore and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhopal, has critically evaluated the current landscape of clinical psychology education and accreditation in India.

The paper titled “Clinical Psychology Training and Accreditation: Meeting Demands Without Jeopardizing Quality” was published in PLOS Mental Health, a peer-reviewed scientific journal, last month. The paper emphasises the need for streamlined pathways in clinical psychology training and recommends consolidating multiple licensure categories into a unified standard akin to practices in other countries.

In the paper, authors — Amit Kumar Soni from Devi Ahilya University and Mohit Kumar from AIIMS Bhopal — have argued that the proliferation of roles risks diluting professional standards and creating overlaps in practice. 

“A central regulatory body should be established to oversee professional standards. This will enable improving mental health outcomes through a more consistent and rigorous training framework,” Dr. Soni, who was formerly with NIMHANS in Bengaluru, told The Hindu.

“Before NEP-2020, the primary route was the two-year MPhil in Clinical Psychology, evolving from Diplomas in Medical and Social Psychology to the MPhil in Medical and Social Psychology and eventually to the M.Phil. in Clinical Psychology. Despite the RCI introducing new courses, the M.Phil. in Clinical Psychology remains the most esteemed qualification — essential for professional recognition and employment — due to its more rigorous training compared to other accredited programmes,” said Dr. Soni.