In India, the path to become a counselling psychologist was to get a postgraduate degree in psychology with any sub-specialization, whether through distance or in-person.

Now, IGNOU particularly was formed by an Act of India’s higher education to enable women who could not, for social reasons, complete their education in time. When the Act became successful, it covered men too. And finally, all, regardless of age barriers. IGNOU followed the same UGC syllabus followed by any university offering in-person “regular” courses.

UGC, in fact, granted IGNOU the exception for its degree to be considered at par with degrees conferred by other regular universities until July 2025, when IGNOU realized that the NCAHP Act 2021 was sitting on its neck. It was then IGNOU discontinued Psychology across UG/PG as per UGC mandate. No more online. Forget women education. Women are particularly now overeducated, else how am I writing this?

Anyway. Now, September 2026, those who pursued psychology from IGNOU after 2021 are facing the heat. Some already had vague assumptions, but I cancelled them with the belief that no law can be applied retrospectively. If IGNOU, as an Act of HEI, advertised its programmes under the purview of UGC, it holds meaning. The NCAHP Act may have come out in May 2021, but nothing was formalised until August 31, 2026.

And this is where we are. Effective immediately, professionals, including myself, identifying as psychologists cannot, without NCAHP generating a registration number alongside approval from the State Healthcare Council, practise as psychologists. West Bengal is always special, but whatever. All psychology degrees from IGNOU ODL after 2021 are ineligible to work as psychologists.

So, here are the specific clauses from the NCAHP Gazette as per August 31, 2026. Regulation 3 says that a person shall be entitled to practise any recognised profession as an allied and healthcare professional only after obtaining registration. Registration is considered obtained when the person’s name is included in the relevant State Register and Central Register and a UID number has been received.

Regulation 4 says that eligibility for State registration requires a recognised primary qualification listed in Schedule I from a recognised institution. It also requires the relevant exit examination, although until one is specified, the final examination conducted by the recognised institution is treated as the exit examination.

And then comes Schedule I, which is the part that directly affects psychology. The recognised category is “Psychologist (Except Clinical Psychologist covered under RCI for PWD).” The Schedule lists postgraduate qualifications including M.A./M.Sc. in Psychology, Applied Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Counselling Psychology, Psychological Counselling, Forensic Psychology, Industrial Psychology, Organisational Psychology, Neuropsychology, Sports Psychology, Health Psychology and several other psychology specialisations. But the mode of learning specified for these qualifications is “Regular.”

The second document, the NCAHP Curriculum Handbook for Applied Psychology and Behavioural Health, describes the Counselling Psychologist as someone who assists individuals and families with personal, social, educational and vocational functioning through psychological assessments, interventions and preventive approaches. It states that the educational requirement includes a minimum of a Master’s Degree in Psychology, an Advanced Diploma from an accredited educational institution or an equivalent qualification, along with supervised training hours from a registered professional.

So the issue is no longer simply whether an IGNOU degree exists or whether the student completed the academic requirements. The question is whether that qualification fits the professional registration framework that now governs the practice of psychology. And for the psychology qualifications listed in Schedule I, the stated mode of learning is Regular, not ODL.

Regulation 26 also says that a person who offered services in a recognised category on or before the commencement of the Act but does not fulfil the criteria for regular registration may be allowed provisional registration, subject to the relevant compliance requirements. That is an important distinction for those trying to understand what happens to people who were already practising.

The regulations also make the registration process formal: applications are submitted through the Commission’s online portal, State Councils verify the recognised qualification and documents, and the registration certificate carries a UID number. The Central and State Registers are to be made available to the public.