Psychology in India and the predicament of scientific Indian psychology: empirical report and analysis

The nexus between culture and mental health is an undeniable experience in every society. This nexus is more pronounced as a predicament in India. It is because the Western psychological theories accepted and taught in India neither help to understand nor explain the behaviour of people. This problem has been pinpointed by prominent psychologists long back. As a result, they proposed Indian psychology as a solution. This proposed Indian psychology seeks the ancient philosophical and religious writings for every modern-day problem. Many psychologists in India accept this inadequate approach scrupulously. Psychology aspirants too reiterate this view indiscriminately. This incongruous situation of Indian psychology is identical to Western psychology in the pre-Wundt era that circled around Christian theology and Greek philosophy with little scientific orientation. The ancient philosophies and religious dogmas were meaningful when society and social living were entirely different. However, they do not reflect the social living today to offer scientific solutions to modern-day problems. Therefore, the prevailing model of Indian psychology that lingers around ancient knowledgebase is very much questionable. This qualitative study explores this dilemma of Indian psychology’s slant with unscientific, spiritual, sectarian knowledgebase and raises a clarion call for scientific Indian psychology.