Have you ever wondered what makes humans behave the way they do? Studying psychology — a subject that deals with human behaviour and mental processes — could give you the answer. And, at the same time, it could be a viable career option too.

As a modern science, psychology has developed enormously over the past 150 years or so. In their effort to cope with today’s fast-paced lifestyle, more and more people are seeking the help of professional psychologists and counsellors. Says Priyanka Basak, a consultant clinical psychologist at AMRI Hospital in South Calcutta, “With the rising amount of stress in daily work, the importance of psychology has grown and thus, the scope for a career in psychology has also grown.”

“Psychology now complements psychiatry to a large extent,” says Dr Aniruddha Deb, a consultant psychiatrist in South Calcutta. Explains Dr Debashis Ray, consultant psychologist at Apollo Clinic in Calcutta, “Psychologists can make an objective assessment of a psychiatrist’s therapy. They can help psychiatrists form an approximate idea of the outcome of an illness.”

Indeed, clinical psychologists are in great demand all over India in hospitals and clinics. They assess and treat mental, emotional, and behavioural disorders. These range from short-term crises such as adolescent rebellion to more severe and chronic conditions like schizophrenia. Some clinical psychologists treat specific problems like phobias or clinical depression. They also consult on physical problems that have underlying psychological causes.

In the age of globalisation, another fast developing field is that of industrial psychology. The nuances of employer-employee relationship are extremely important for the productivity of a company and industrial psychologists are called upon to deal with any friction that may arise in the workplace. They are also of enormous help in the selection of personnel. “Many psychologists who study industrial relations do an MBA to get a better perspective,” says Basak.

Other areas of psychology include experimental psychology, cognitive psychology, educational psychology and developmental psychology. “Most educational institutions are increasingly becoming sensitive to the needs of students and psychologists are being called upon to help students in distress,” says Anuttama Banerjee, a psychologist at the Indian Psychoanalytic Society in North Calcutta. She emphasises that developmental psychologists can promote a more sympathetic understanding of aberrant behavioural patterns in children.

Psychology as a subject can be studied at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Having the subject at the Plus Two level is not necessary for admission at the undergraduate level. At Calcutta University (CU), there are two divisions of psychology at the masters level — psychology and applied psychology. CU also offers an MPhil in clinical psychology. “For psychologists, the opportunities for research are growing. For those who wish to get into teaching the rewards are enormous,” says Neelanjana Sanyal, professor of psychology at CU.

Basak also feels that “the range of options for psychologists is varied — from counselling to academics and advisory roles in industry and non-governmental organisations.” Having psychology as a special paper also helps in civil services exams like WBCS and IAS.

The pay package for a psychologist varies from Rs 6,000 per month for those starting independent practice to Rs 15,000 for those getting into academic research. “Researchers involved in teaching get paid on a par with UGC guidelines,” explains Sanyal. The salary for those who work with NGOs varies from Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000.