According to Rao (1981), counselling is not a novel institution in Indian context. In his opinion, Bhagavat Gita presents the first counsellor, Lord Krishna, and it provides counselling for all the ages and all the times. However, this idea can be questioned because in the process of counselling, theoretically, it is the counselee who will talk more and not the counsellor. In the case of Gita, Krishna gives advices to Arjuna (or for all ages and all the times). Arjuna is merely a listener. However, these advices had the power to bring changes in the views of Arjuna. It could also bring changes in Arjuna’s behavior. Therefore, we can say that the advice given by Krishna in Gita contained the power that could bring the effect of counselling.
In ancient India, the system of education existed in the form of Gurukula (Rao, 1981). During those times, pupil had the choice or freedom to seek his own Guru or teacher (Rao, 1981). It has to be noted that all those who liked to learn did not get the opportunity for it during those days. Even in Mahabharatha, evidences of racial discriminations in the case of acquiring education can be seen. Thus, realization of knowledge from Gurukula system was limited in a privileged class. One cannot imagine that all the Indians equally shared liberty and equality during those days. However, these traditional aspects present ideas and constructs that are rich in possibilities for application in Indian cultural setting. Therefore, the fact that psychological thought is not new to India, is true.
Counselling needs in the Indian context emerged against the background of tremendous social change. In addition, the last ten years of economic reform have enhanced the pace of these changes and further transformed life styles. Counselling services are poorly defined and presently anyone at all with little or no training can offer these services. Available counselling services are largely based on Western approaches to psychology. These approaches have been widely criticised as not being relevant to the Indian cultural context (Rao, 1981). A relevant and culturally valid counselling psychology therefore has remained a hatchling discipline.
The roots of couselling in India belong to Mysore University, where the first chair in psychology was endowed. After this, within a year, Calcutta University started a department of Psychology. During the mid 1940s, Patna University started a department of Psychology, closely followed by Banaras Hindu University, the Lucknow University etc. Currently, the major is included in a lot of state as well as central universities in India.
Along with this, Applied Psychology emerged as an independent department of the existing departments of Psychology. In Calcutta University, a section of Applied Psychology started in 1938, and in 1945, department of Psychological services was established at Patna University.
Establishment of Vocational Guidance Bureau by the trustees of the Parsi Panchayath, a voluntary organization in Bombay, was a major step in the case of emergence of guidance in India. The bureau was primarily meant to help the youth of the Parsi community. However, the bureau was closed out of financial burden during 1950s, but restarted in 1960s.
Another far-reaching step was the appointment of Acharya Narendra Dev Committee by Government of Uttar Pradesh to examine the issue of providing guidance at schools. Following this, realizing the importance of vocational and educational guidance to school going people, Uttar Pradesh Government established a Bureau of Psychology in Allahabad. Dr. C.M.Bhatia, a renowned psychologist and author of Bhatia’s Battery of Performance Tests, was appointed as its first Director. Soon after this, five more regional bureaus – Varanasi, Lucknow, Kanpur, Meerut and Bareilly – were established at Uttar Pradesh.
After about one decade, the Government of Bombay opened a vocational guidance bureau, which was later renamed as Institute of Vocational Guidance. It was during this time the first professional journal, “Journal of Counselling Psychology” was released. Following this, all India Vocational Guidance Association was organized and a decision was taken to start a journal. The journal had its first issue in 1956.
In 1954, the Government of India set up the Central bureau of Educational and Vocational Guidance in New Delhi. By 1955, 11 state bureaus were established. In 1958, M.S.University, Baroda, began counselling services and appointed a full-time counsellor.
Even though Governmental agencies as well as non-government organizations have come forward to the field of counselling, it is still on the process of emergence. Organized work and provision of professional services are still lacking. Another great challenge is that unqualified personnel and quacks have made the field doubtful to the public. Moreover, people seem to be confused with the terms counselling and guidance as well as with the ideas behind counselling and advice.
In ancient India, the system of education existed in the form of Gurukula (Rao, 1981). During those times, pupil had the choice or freedom to seek his own Guru or teacher (Rao, 1981). It has to be noted that all those who liked to learn did not get the opportunity for it during those days. Even in Mahabharatha, evidences of racial discriminations in the case of acquiring education can be seen. Thus, realization of knowledge from Gurukula system was limited in a privileged class. One cannot imagine that all the Indians equally shared liberty and equality during those days. However, these traditional aspects present ideas and constructs that are rich in possibilities for application in Indian cultural setting. Therefore, the fact that psychological thought is not new to India, is true.
Counselling needs in the Indian context emerged against the background of tremendous social change. In addition, the last ten years of economic reform have enhanced the pace of these changes and further transformed life styles. Counselling services are poorly defined and presently anyone at all with little or no training can offer these services. Available counselling services are largely based on Western approaches to psychology. These approaches have been widely criticised as not being relevant to the Indian cultural context (Rao, 1981). A relevant and culturally valid counselling psychology therefore has remained a hatchling discipline.
The roots of couselling in India belong to Mysore University, where the first chair in psychology was endowed. After this, within a year, Calcutta University started a department of Psychology. During the mid 1940s, Patna University started a department of Psychology, closely followed by Banaras Hindu University, the Lucknow University etc. Currently, the major is included in a lot of state as well as central universities in India.
Along with this, Applied Psychology emerged as an independent department of the existing departments of Psychology. In Calcutta University, a section of Applied Psychology started in 1938, and in 1945, department of Psychological services was established at Patna University.
Establishment of Vocational Guidance Bureau by the trustees of the Parsi Panchayath, a voluntary organization in Bombay, was a major step in the case of emergence of guidance in India. The bureau was primarily meant to help the youth of the Parsi community. However, the bureau was closed out of financial burden during 1950s, but restarted in 1960s.
Another far-reaching step was the appointment of Acharya Narendra Dev Committee by Government of Uttar Pradesh to examine the issue of providing guidance at schools. Following this, realizing the importance of vocational and educational guidance to school going people, Uttar Pradesh Government established a Bureau of Psychology in Allahabad. Dr. C.M.Bhatia, a renowned psychologist and author of Bhatia’s Battery of Performance Tests, was appointed as its first Director. Soon after this, five more regional bureaus – Varanasi, Lucknow, Kanpur, Meerut and Bareilly – were established at Uttar Pradesh.
After about one decade, the Government of Bombay opened a vocational guidance bureau, which was later renamed as Institute of Vocational Guidance. It was during this time the first professional journal, “Journal of Counselling Psychology” was released. Following this, all India Vocational Guidance Association was organized and a decision was taken to start a journal. The journal had its first issue in 1956.
In 1954, the Government of India set up the Central bureau of Educational and Vocational Guidance in New Delhi. By 1955, 11 state bureaus were established. In 1958, M.S.University, Baroda, began counselling services and appointed a full-time counsellor.
Even though Governmental agencies as well as non-government organizations have come forward to the field of counselling, it is still on the process of emergence. Organized work and provision of professional services are still lacking. Another great challenge is that unqualified personnel and quacks have made the field doubtful to the public. Moreover, people seem to be confused with the terms counselling and guidance as well as with the ideas behind counselling and advice.
An orientation regarding difference between student personnel services and counselling may help to rectify the doubts of the people. Counselling is psychotherapeutic assistance, which requires academic preparation, professional training and supervised internship (Rao, 1981). Currently, the courses provided by the universities have started to maintain all these standards. But, professionals are yet to be hatched out to fulfill the needs of the society. Moreover, legislation for the certification of these professionals is yet to be formulated.
