Again psychology gets an honorable mention in the NEP document, further proving its significance in the context of the new educational policy. It is now being regarded as a blend of academics and competencies giving equal priority to mental, social, emotional, and psychological development. The components of education are many, and psychology itself is basically a science of human behavior and mental processes; thus, the introduction of psychology ensures that almost every aspect of an educative experience is addressed. This is where our discussions truly lie, however.
Will psychology lessen the pain caused by education?
A fully inclusive and multidisciplinary education structure is envisaged under NEP 2020, where integration of the psychological principles and the practical realities is felt to be an essential prerequisite of any educational structure. It argues for an education that would allow for all-around development rather than only instilling in students the knowledge found in books.
Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)
According to NEP 2020, the first five years of any child are important to any child’s cognitive, social, and emotional development. Psychologists play a very important role in developing language, behavior, emotional intelligence, and learning capability during that period. The trained professionals in ECCE design activities according to the children’s needs, which in turn strengthen their foundations of learning.
Curriculum and Teaching Methodology
NEP 2020 demands a full-fledged evidence-based and innovative educational system. Psychology-based teaching methods would therefore motivate, influence behaviors and develop cognitions leaving a better insight within teachers on how students learn, thus paving an easier route to learn from the perspective of the psychologically conceptualized student.
Exclusion of Psychology from Teacher Training
Today, a teacher needs to be more than an ordinary specialist in a subject. Today, the teacher also is a counselor who understands the mindset and behavioral patterns and even learning styles of the students. NEP 2020 made the knowledge of psychology and counseling mandatory for teacher training so that teachers would effectively handle their students’ mental health issues.
Student Support and Counseling student’s glaring need for mental and emotional support in today’s cut-throat world. NEP 2020 holds this firmly in terms of mental health services at schools and colleges and psychological counseling for students. This serves as a valve for students to let pressure concerning stress, depression, exam anxiety, and self-doubt out.
Change in the System of Assessment and Examination
By NEP 2020, all effort would go on to promote holistic development of students, and therefore, the examination system must not only focus on rote memory; it must be wide-ranging enough in assessing the creative ability, critical analysis, and emotional intelligence of students. This notwithstanding, psychology-based evaluation techniques can equally gauge learning ability, interest, and emotional maturity of students.
Psychology defined
Psychology is described as the scientific study of human behavior, mental processes, and experiences. Inclusive term encompassing cognition, motivation, emotion, personality, and social behavior, and mental health. Psychologists try to understand human behavior, then theorize about its nature in various ways: experimentation, survey, observational case studies, and method approaches.
Types of Psychology:
- Clinical Psychology – Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental Illnesses and Emotional Disorders.
- Counseling Psychology – Helps in solving personal, social and career-related problems.
- Educational Psychology – Application of psychological principles for educational improvement.
- Developmental Psychology – the study of mental development at different life stages.
- Forensic Psychology – Applied for law and crime procedures.
- Industrial-organizational Psychology – helps employees work better and be more satisfied with their jobs.
- Health Psychology – Assist in health promotion and disease prevention.
Career Opportunities
Numerous psychological opportunities are available in India. The following can either be explored under a bachelor’s or a master’s in psychology:
- Clinical Psychologist – Diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders
- Counseling Psychologist – Helping people to face life challenges
- School Psychologist – Understanding behavioral and learning problems of students
- Forensic Psychologist – Psychological analysis in crime and law-related cases
- Neuropsychologist – Understanding relationship between brain and behavior
- I.O. Psychologist – Increasing productivity and morale among employees in companies.
- Research Psychologist – Discovering new theories and researching human behavior
Conclusion
In itself, NEP 2020 places psychology at its rightful position in the education system, which is already a very positive and visionary step towards India. It would improve on the students and exert gentle but powerful interventions toward amelioration for teachers, parents, and policy makers. Education has extended its horizon; it is not only about content; it has one of its key responsibilities now mediating the anthropological development with a psychological view-and this is where psychology would come about as a game change.
Psychology must, therefore, have all the necessary places required to make education enriching, holistic, and hands-on. Through this thought process, India can emerge into a powerful and sensitive nation.
