Issues Faced by Aspiring Clinical Psychologists in India

15% of Indian adults are already in need of active intervention for one or more mental illness (National Mental Health Survey, 2015-2016). The increasing demand for mental health care needs to be met with an increased supply of trained professional. The generation that will soon bear the reins of this community needs to find practicing in India a lucrative option. Issues faced by aspiring clinicians at the start of their professional trajectory such as lax standards of licensure, inadequate training facilities, low remuneration, deficits in research funding and neglectful enforcement of code of conduct may dissuade them from practicing in India. This paper discusses challenges and recommendations keeping in mind the status of clinical psychology in other countries. A survey was conducted on practicing clinicians (N = 41) to integrate varying viewpoints.