The Department: Psychology at the Master’s level was introduced in Delhi University in 1957 under the Department of Philosophy and Psychology.
The Department of Psychology as an independent department was established in 1964 under the headship of Prof. H.C. Ganguli.
The Department of Psychology has two units, one at the Main Campus and the other at the South Campus. At the Main Campus the courses offered are:
M.A. Psychology, and Ph.D. The unit at the South Campus, established in 1981, offers courses in Applied Psychology at Master’s level only.
In recognition of its achievements in teaching and research, the University Grants Commission (UGC) identified this Department as Department of Special Assistance (DSA) in 1989. The two thrust areas identified are Cognitive Psychology and Applied Social Psychology. Two phases of the DSA Programme (10 Years) have been completed.
The Department has a total strength of 14 teaching faculty out of which currently there are 6 Professors, 5 Readers and 3 Lecturers. This includes two readers and one lecturer in the Applied Psychology Unit at the South Delhi Campus. The teaching and research programme is supported by the technical staff at different levels. We have the best laboratories in India and perhaps in Asia. Apart from the Student Laboratory, meant for the practicum work of the students at the master’s level, we have a few research labs, equipped with necessary amenities. We also have a technologically up-to-date seminar room, which facilitates interactions with experts from the field. Presently the best and latest technology gadgets have been procured and set up to enhance the teaching and research activities. Our curriculum at the Master’s level includes computer-assisted experiments.
At the Main Campus, the Department offers the facility of Counseling and Psychotherapy for the benefit of students, teachers, and other university and college employees. The clinic is useful for those who seek psychological intervention as well as for our students who derive invaluable practical experience. The center is being looked after by the teachers specializing in clinical psychology and the supporting staff. Another service provided by the Department is for the benefit of industries and organizations. Faculty from the Department is actively involved in providing training and other services to various organizations. The Department also has expertise in dealing with problems associated with stress and health, ageing, drug abuse, community mental health, disability, neuropsychological assessment and rehabilitation, etc. A number of our students have been absorbed by different organizations/hospitals dealing with these issues. From time to time, the Department organizes Conferences, Seminars, Refresher Course, Workshops, etc. for the benefit of facultyand students. It has hosted’the Indian Science Congress Sessions thrice as well as an International Conference and various National Level Conferences. The Department has organized conferences on Cognitive Psychology, Quality of Life, Human Resource Development. Culture and Psychology, Health Psychology, Affect, Identity and Discourse, Puzzles of Perception and on Indian Psychology. In addition, many research projects have also been undertaken. Most of the faculty members have been abroad for higher studies, and to attend and participate in International conferences. University of Delhi has signed an International Memorandum of Agreement with the University of California, and in the exchange programme in Psychology, students from U.S.A study in the department, and the students of this department may also study in Calfornia University. For a fast developing discipline like Psychology, it is imperative to restructure the resources from time to time to keep pace with the latest developments around the world. The M.A. Psychology and Applied Psychology Courses include the latest trends in Psychology, with emphasis on practical training and field work. The courses lay special emphasis on the acquisition of knowledge and skills through theoretical understanding and its practical implications. In addition to lecturing as the primary mode of instruction, teaching is also interactive with due emphasis on seminar, presentations and discussion.
Achievements:
The teachers have undertaken research projects in the areas of dyslexia, mental retardation, hypertension, schizophrenia, depression, drug abuse, cognition in disabled children, belief systems, ageing, organizational processes, sponsored by NCERT, ICSSR, ICMR, UGC, DRDO and various other organizations. They are actively involved in academic interactions at national and international seminars and conferences.
Some notable accomplishments of the faculty include the following:
Retired, Prof. H.C. Ganguli, was nominated as FNA. He acted as President of Indian Psychological Association and received Sandoz Award for work on mental health of workers, and was the recipient of the best book awarded by IMA.
Retired, Prof. G.C. Gupta was Fellow of NIAS, The Hague, The Netherlands, Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla and Central Institute of Indian Languages at Mysore.
Late Prof. (Mrs.) Anima Sen, former Head of the Department and Co-ordinator of Special Assistance Programme of U.G.C. was recipient of many prestigious awards like Hull University Research Fellowship, Fulbright Hayes Senior Visiting Fellowship and Shastri Indo-Canadian Fellowship. She has also been a national fellow of UGC. She was also President of Section of Psychology and Educational Sciences (1993) of Indian Science Congress Association.
Retired, Prof. K.D. Broota was awarded Fulbright Fellowship. He was recipient of Ford Foundation Fellowship for Post Doctoral work at the University of Wisconsin, Madison (1971-72). He has been President of the 5th NAOP Congress.
Retired, Prof. (Mrs.) V. Veeraraghavan served as President of Behavioural Medicine Society of India.
Retired, Prof. A.K. Sen was a visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, National Lecturer of UGC, and a visiting faculty at the University of Bergen, Norway. He has also been awarded Fulbright Fellowship.
Retired, Prof. Paramjeet Kaur Dhillon received 2004 Higher Education and Development Award by International Association of Educators for World Peace.
Prof. G. Misra has received Radhakrishnan Award, Dr. Hari Singh Gaur Award, G.B. Pant Award, and Human Rights Commission Award for distinguished contributions to social science research. He was convener of the National Academy of Psychology (India) and has been elected as its President and Editor of Psychological Studies. He has also been elected on the executive committee of International Association of Cross-Cultural Psychology. Prof. G. Misra was awarded Govind Ballabh Pant Award instituted by Government of India for writing a book in Hindi on ?Childhood Delinquency? in 1999. He also received an award from National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for creative writing on children?s rights in Hindi.
Prof. Gopa Bhardwaj has been honoured by national Institute of Productivity Management for life-time contribution to Organizational Behaviour.
Prof. Ashum Gupta has been awarded Fulbright Senior Research Fellowship and Commonwealth Academic Staff Fellowship. She has been nominated as Visiting Psychologist to UK by British Psychological Society. She was awarded ICMR fellowship as Trainer in Community Mental Health (NIMHANS, Bangalore) and has been a UGC Visiting Associate to NIMHANS Bangalore. She also received INSA award as a Research Scientist to UK.
Prof. Anand Prakash received UGCs Career Award1993, Young Scientist Award, ISCA, 1987 Convener, National Academy of Psychology and President, National Academy of Psychology(NAOP-India) 2010.
Prof. N.K. Chadha has received DAAD Fellowship at Dortmund University, Germany, INSA-DFG award at University of Heidelberg, Germany and UGC-MSH award by French Government to visit France. The U.N. Institute of Ageing, Malta awarded Dr. Chadha for U.N. Programme on Social Gerontology. He has been invited to be the member of Board of Governors, University of Pittsburg, USA for intergenerational issues. He is elected as Vice-Chair of the International Consortium of Intergenerational Issues, The Netherlands.
Prof. N.K. Chadha was a Visiting Assistant Professor at University of Virginia, USA and Visiting Professor at Faculty of Health Studies, Auckland, University of Technology, New Zealand.
Retired, Prof. Aruna Broota has been awarded best educationist of the year award by Raja Ram Mohan Rai Foundation, Delhi. She also received an International Award?Global Indian of 2003?.
Retired, Prof. Mirium Ittyerah has been awarded Fulbright Fellowship and an Indo-French Research Project by INSERM. She took Voluntary Retirement from Department after serving for 21 years.
Dr. Nandita Babu has been awarded Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship for Ph.D work at University of Toronto.
Dr. Honey Oberoi Vahali was awarded the M.V. Govindaswamy award for clinical Psychology and the Junior Nehru Memorial fellowship.
Prof. Girishwar Misra
Cultural Construction of emotions, UGC
Creativity research in India, ICSSR
Fifth Survey of Psychological Research in India , ICSSR
Emotional Intelligence ( with Anjum sibia) , NCERT
Culture and Intelligence (with A.K. Srivastava). NCERT
Psychology and Psychoanalysis, Centre for the Study of civilizations
Self Presentation in Children in UK and Indian, ISRC, Bretain.
Representation of India: Facts, Fascinations and fears in association with Bochum University Germany
Prof. Gopa Bhardwaj
Issues and Concern of India Becoming Nuclear: A Multifaceted Study, DRDO
Identifying Psycho-social Antecedents in the Development of Nagaland and the Related Issues, DRDO
Leadership Styles and Conflict Resolution Strategies in LIC Environment, DRDO
Exploring Image Building Aspects of India, DRDO
Emotional Intelligence, ICSSR
Prof. Ashum Gupta
Effectiveness of Cognitive Intervention on Cognitive Functioning, Affect and Self-Regulatory Skills: Implications for Defence Forces (LSRB, DRDO Project, 2009onwards.
Interaction of Vision, Action and Language (DST Project 2009 onwards)
Spatial cognition, Research in collaboration with Professor from Switzerland (2009 onwards)
Depression and Yoga Practices, Research with scholar from British Columbia University (May-July 2008).
Assessment of Neuro-cognitive Status of the Elderly, Delhi university R & D Research Project (2008 onwards)
Cross-Cultural research on eating disorders in collaboration with Research Collaborators from Sydney, Australia (2010).
Pycho-educational interventions for parents of children with autism (ICSSR Project, 2007 onwards)
Bilingual Language Processing in collaboration with Collaborator from USA (ongoing)
Cultural Adaptation, Gender and Depression, Fulbright Research Project (2003-2004)
Psychological functioning in man at high altitude (2002-2003) (Sponsored by Defense Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences, Delhi).
Intervention strategies in dyslexia ( 2002-2005).(Major Research Project, Sponsored by University Grants Commission, New Delhi)
`Identification and cognitive assessment of children with dyslexia’, funded by Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi, India (1997-2000).
`Phonological processing in dyslexic children’, funded by D.S.A. program of Department of Psychology, University of Delhi (1995-1996).
`Attitudes towards mental health among schedule caste/tribe college and university students' , funded by D.S.A. Program of Department of Psychology, University of Delhi (1993-1994).
`Role of religion in evaluation of common behavioral situations', funded by D.S.A.Program, Delhi University (1991-1992).
`Beliefs about mental disorders: their implications for the field of mental health’,funded by Department of Special Assistance (D.S.A) program of Department of Psychology, University of Delhi (1989-1990)
Prof. Anand Prakash
Technology Change and Human Values- UGC (Under Career Award Scheme)
Contributions of ICSSR in Growth of psychology (With Professor J.B.P. Sinha)
Qualitative Research Methods in India, (ICSSR-New Delhi)
Toward Corporate- Citizen Parternership
Development of Personality Assessment test for Indian cultural context sponsored by ICSSR-2010
Prof. Ashok Nagpal
Co-Director of Indo-Italian research project from January 2007 to June 2008 on Role of psychological and social variables in the physical rehabilitation of people with spinal cord injury with Prof Cesare Maffei, San Rafael Hospital, Milan.
Prof. N.K. Chadha
Social Aging in India completed with Prof. John Van Willigen, University of Kentucky, USA
Psycho-social Problems of Older People in India Major project sanctioned by Indian Council of Social Science Research, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.
Physical and Psychological well-being among Aged. Major Research project funded by University Grants Commission, New Delhi
Psycho-Linguistic Investigation of Aged.Major Project funded by Indian Council for Social Science Research, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India
Physical and Psychological Development among Two Communities: Major project funded by Indian Council of Social Science Research, Ministry of Human resource development, Government of India.
Status of Girl Child in India: Major project funded by John Bjorkhem Foundation, Sweden .
Marital Discord: Psychosocial factors. Funded by University Grants Commission, New Delhi.
Development of Psychological Test for Selection of Scientist. Major Project funded by the Defence Institute of Psychological Research, (DIPR) DRDO. Ministry of Defence, Government of India.
Predictors of Physical Functions of the Old. Major Project funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
Determinants of Functional Status of the Older Indian. Task Force funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
Dr. Nandita Babu
Theory of Mind and development of social competence in children NCERT (ERIC) 2009
Ways of explaining behavior: An attempt to evaluate theory of mind perspective in cultural context. ICSSR: (2010)
Dr. Swasti Shrimali Vohra
NCERT Research Grant for project entitled Facilitating Mental Health Through Value Inculcation, 2004-2005. 9. ICSSR Research Grant for project entitled Flourishing positivity in young women, 2007-2008.
Dr. S.P.K. Jena
Co-investigator: Extending Services to People with Mental Handicap in Urban Slums, NIMH, RTC, Calcutta, (UNICEF), National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped, Secunderabad.
Principal Investigator: Effects of Cognitive-behaviour Therapy & Computer-assisted
Dr. Honey Oberoi Vahali
Landscaping a Perspective: India and the Psychoanalytic vista, ICSSR
RECENT EVENTS
“Culture and Cognition: A Developmental Perspective” National Symposium from January 23rd to 25th, 2010 organized by Dr. Nandita Babu.
National Workshop on “Contemporary Perspectives on Social Psychology” organized by Prof. Anand Prakash, Head Department of Psychology on December 9th –10th, 2009 in Institute of Life Long Learning & CPDHE.
“Reading in Bilinguals” by Prof. P. Prakash, Mysore University on February 19, 2010
“Who am I, why am I here and where am I going? Journeys in Becoming an Effective Counselor” by Dr. Smita Nagpal, Ph.D. in Guidance and Counseling, University of Toledo on October 8, 2009
“Resilience and Creativity amidst Adversity and suffering” by Dr. Ghadirian, Faculty of Medicine and an emeritus Physician of McGill University Health Centre on September 17, 2009
“Mind in Buddhism” By Dr. Geshe Dorgi Damdul, Official Translator and Assistant to His Holiness Dalai Lama on August 27, 2009.
“Self in Buddhism” By Dr. Geshe Dorgi Damdul, Official Translator and Assistant to His Holiness Dalai Lama on August 13, 2009.
“The Three Selves of Adulthood” by Prof. Usha Menon, Department of Culture and communication, Drexel University, Philadephia, U.S.A. on July 28, 2009
“Emotions in Everyday life” by Prof. Manas K. Mandal, Director, DIPR and DRDO, Lucknow Road Timarpur
FUTURE EVENTS
Refresher Course to be organized with IIIL, Delhi University Delhi
