How many aged candidates or late bloomers do you see in your regular college classroom?
In the light of the recent UGC Notice to all universities and colleges in India to drop allied healthcare subjects (including psychology) from online and distance arrangement under the NCAHP Act 2021, there is a huge commotion.
While privileged candidates would argue for the motion, I have concerns against it. While I too want a body to regulate psychologists in India other than RCI (Rehabilitation Council of India)- regulated clinical psychologists, the demand of UGC to drop ODL programmes vide NCAHP Act 2021 is regressive when we look at equity and accessibility.
Not every individual is born in a financially stable family.
Not every individual is born in an emotionally cohesive family.
Not every individual is born to socially mature parents.
Some individuals also achieve late cognitive development, which they rapidly achieve with age. Notwithstanding candidates with mobility issues. So, life is not linear.
If you are highbrow about candidates who for various reasons couldn’t choose psychology as a subject during their grad years, or who came to know about its prospects and applications later in life through lived experiences or community exposure, then it is your time to rethink.
In India, because of social taboos, it is rare to see a regular college classroom for young people equally full with adults past mid-30s and above. That is the time to earn a livelihood. Not study. Isn’t it?
But globally that is not the case, you know?
All global universities have School for Continuing Education.
In India, IGNOU was filling that need for late bloomers.
Now, do you mean to say someone who didn’t have the opportunity to study at the right time will never have the opportunity to study psychology ever during their lifetime on this planet?
When you think hard, you will understand the cruelty lining up that expectation.
If you are not aware of IGNOU’s course content, just knowing it is UGC (University Grants Commission) & DEB (Distance Education Board) regulated with NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) accreditation would be enough, a status that most regular colleges do not achieve.
Also, let me bust the myth of regular colleges, where too one might judge that is a bad college and that is a good one.
No matter your CUET (Common University Entrance Test) performance etc., no regular college is devoid of politics, bunking classes, absent professors, proxy attendance, and most of them are influenced by indulging parents.
The new UGC directive does not affect my ongoing degree but say it does, I got my plan B and Plan C to my goal. My long career trained me in that. But I feel sad for the country to lose such bright minds because of this new NCAHP Act.
If you have a true mindset of a psychologist, you cannot ignore the loss. If you have advocacy in your nerves, you will fight for it, at least not covertly laugh at those who won’t be your fellow psychologists anymore.