Humanities & Social Sciences

A child counselor specifically deals with the mental health and wellness of children. They help children overcome their problems with a friendly approach. To become a child counselor in India, you will have to follow the following steps:
1. Take psychology as a 12th-grade subject.
2. If you have not taken psychology even then, you can pursue graduation in psychology.
3. After completion of the 12th, you will have to do a Bachelors in Psychology as either a B.A. Or B.Sc.
4. After that, you will need to pursue a master's as an M.A. Or M.Sc. In psychology.
5. To work as a child counselor, you may also be required to have a one-year postgraduate Diploma in guidance and counselling. This Diploma is offered by reputed institutions such as NCERT. After that, you can practice as a child counselor in school or work as an individual counselor.

The GATE psychology (XH-C5) exam pattern is as follows:
The questions are divided into three sections: (1) General Aptitude (GA): There are 10 questions totaling 15 marks in this section. The marking pattern is that 5 questions carry 1 mark each and 5 questions carry 2 marks each. (2) Section B1: This section consists of 15 questions from Reasoning and Comprehension. This section carries a total of 25 marks; 5 questions carry 1 mark each, and 10 questions carry 2 marks each. (3) Section C5: This section contains 40 questions based on core psychology topics. The section carries a total of 60 marks. 20 questions carry a mark each, and 20 questions carry two marks each. The total time limit for this 100-mark paper is 180 minutes.

Psychology students can get the following opportunities after scoring well in the GATE exam:
1. Obtain a master's degree from a prestigious university: Students can gain admission to master's programs by using their GATE score. From IITs as well as foreign universities, students can pursue a master's degree in psychology. After earning an MA degree, you can work as a junior psychologist, occupational psychologist, or counselor. You can also apply for an assistant professor post after clearing the UGC NET for assistant professors. Depending on the nature of the job, you could earn up to Rs. 50,000 per month with an MA in psychology.
2. Research: Top universities in India require a GATE score for admission to the Ph.D. program in psychology. However, you also need to have completed your master's degree. If you have qualified for the NET for JRF, you may be eligible for a stipend of Rs. 31,000 per month to pursue a PhD in psychology.
3. Scholarships: GATE-qualified students are also eligible to get an educational scholarship or a fellowship based on their scores.
4. Government employment: Government organizations like DRDO require the GATE score for candidates applying for Scientist Grade B positions. For DRDO Scientist B, the pay scale ranges from Rs. 56100 to Rs. 177500. After a certain number of years of service, you can advance to grade H and even become a Distinguished Scientist (DS) in the organization.
5. Teaching: Some colleges allow GATE-qualified students to teach as assistant professors. You can get a salary of Rs. 25,000 a month as a psychology teacher.