India is a multi cultural, multi-lingual and socio-economically developing country in Asia. While diversity lends strength, it also presents learning challenges for students. The schools run by the state governments – both in urban and rural areas – differ in many respects from the private English-medium schools that attract students from the financially advantaged families. This creates a setting characterized by the existence of schools of various standards including teaching methods, physical infrastructural facilities, and policies of administration. The children of these schools need proper counselling and psychological guidance to learn and acquire skills and abilities.
On one side, Indian schools are in dire need of such professional school psychologists to create positive learning experience and on the other side, professional practice of Psychology is still a new and evolving area in India and the competency requires both knowledge and practical skills. Organizations like InSPA believe trained school psychologists alone can provide the necessary professional guidance to the children in schools.
The Indian School Psychology Association was started in Puducherry on 62rd Independence Day (15th August, 2009) to help young and energetic psychologists to promote school psychology.
Stated aims and objectives:
The primary stated aim of the association is to develop and promote School Psychology, Human Values-based education and training to meet the needs of society and particularly to elevate the poor from poverty through school education. The following are the objectives:
- To promote the use of sound psychological principles within the context of education, internationally.
- To promote communication among professionals who are committed to the improvement of the mental health of children in schools.
- To encourage the training and employment of school psychologists in India.
- To promote the psychological rights of all children throughout the country.
- To initiate and promote cooperation with other organizations working for causes similar to those of InSPA in order to help children.
- To condemn any discrimination of a racial, religious or sexual nature and recommend its members conduct their professional life consistent with this principle.
- To mobilise human resources and other resources to utilise them effectively to realise the aim.
- To establish education, training and counselling centres/units to promote social and economic development of the community through education.
- To establish and promote high quality School Psychology Programmes and Centres to meet the needs of specific groups, particularly the children and teachers.
- To establish education, training and counselling centres at schools, colleges and universities to promote School Psychology.
- To organise local, regional, national, and international seminars, conferences, exhibitions, lecture meetings, workshops and training programmes.
- To propagate the aim and objectives, the association shall publish a quarterly Newsletter.
- To function as an academic- cum- research organisation to undertake relevant research related activities to promote education and human development.
InSPA states it is an affiliating association of the International School Psychology Association, USA and Indian Academy of Applied Psychology, India.
See also:
- Indian School Psychology Association (InSPA)
- National Academy of Psychology (NAOP)
- Indian Institute of Psychology and Research (IIPR)
- Indian Academy of Applied Psychology (IAAP)
- Indian Psychology Institute (IPI)
- International Journal of Indian Psychology (IJIP)
- Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology (JIAAP)
- Indian Association of Positive Psychology (IAPP)
