Career as a Child Psychologist in India: Salary, Courses and How to Begin

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Updated 30 Oct 2026

At a glance

A child psychologist assesses and supports a child's learning, behaviour and emotional wellbeing, usually after a psychology degree and a postgraduate course in clinical psychology.

A child psychologist is a trained mental health professional who assesses and supports children from early childhood through adolescence. They help with learning difficulties, behaviour problems, anxiety and emotional wellbeing, using standardised tests, observation, play and talk-based therapy.

In India, 'child psychologist' is an everyday term rather than a separate licence. Most people in the role hold a psychology degree and a postgraduate qualification in clinical or child psychology, and many work with parents, teachers and paediatricians as well as with children. Parents often look for this help when a child is struggling at school or at home, and online sessions now make it easier to reach a specialist from any city.

The work is rewarding but demanding. Training usually takes five to seven years after Class 12, and you need patience with anxious parents, cooperative teachers and children who may not want to talk. Below you will find what the job involves, the route to qualify, and what to expect in pay and demand.

Minimum Qualification: Master's in Psychology (M.A./M.Sc.)
Typical Degree: B.A./B.Sc. Psychology + M.A./M.Sc. Clinical Psychology
Expected Entry Salary: Around ₹3 - ₹5 Lakh/annum
Entry-level to Senior: Around ₹3 Lakh to ₹15+ Lakh/annum
Job Demand Growth: Growing, with rising demand for child mental health care
Work Hours: About 40 to 48 hours/week; some evening sessions
Places of Work: Clinics, hospitals, schools, NGOs and online practice

What Does a Child Psychologist Do?

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

Take a detailed history from parents and teachers covering development, school performance, sleep, eating and behaviour. Assess children across early childhood (up to about 5 or 6), middle childhood (around 7 to 9 or 10) and preadolescence (9 to 12).
Administer age-appropriate tests for intelligence, attention, learning ability and emotional or behavioural concerns.
Observe the child in play and structured tasks to understand how they think, feel and interact with others.
Plan and deliver therapy such as play therapy, cognitive behavioural techniques and parent guidance sessions.
Support children with learning disabilities such as dyslexia or dyscalculia and attention difficulties such as ADHD, which often come to light once school starts.
Write clear assessment reports and recommendations for parents, schools and paediatricians.
Track progress over time and refer children to psychiatrists, speech therapists or paediatric specialists when medical or other care is needed.

Where They Work

Child psychologists work in private clinics, multi-speciality hospitals, child development centres and government hospitals with psychiatry or paediatric departments. Larger cities have more child guidance clinics and developmental centres, and some psychologists also work in schools as counsellors or in special education settings. Many run a private practice alongside a clinic post.

Teletherapy has widened the reach of this work. Online counselling services hire psychologists for remote sessions, and NGOs working with disadvantaged children or children with disabilities also employ child psychologists. Remote work suits follow-up sessions and parent guidance well, though some assessments still need in-person testing.

How to Become a Child Psychologist in India?

After Class 10

Choose a stream that suits you. Most B.A. Psychology courses accept Arts, Commerce and Science students. Build your interest by reading about child development and volunteering with children, for example at a child care centre or a tuition programme for younger students.

After Class 12

Enrol in a three-year B.A. or B.Sc. Psychology programme. Admission is usually through the Common University Entrance Test (CUET UG) for participating universities or through merit-based college admissions, so check each college's process.

Undergraduate

Complete the three-year degree, which covers developmental, abnormal and child psychology, statistics and research methods. Look for internships or volunteering in schools, child care centres or hospital psychology departments to build supervised experience.

Postgraduate and Specialisation

Complete a two-year M.A., M.Sc. or M.Phil in Clinical Psychology, with a child or developmental focus through electives and clinical placements. Entry is through CUET PG or institute-level tests. Supervised clinical placements form a major part of training.

Licence / Certification

Register with the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) as a clinical psychologist, which is needed to practise as a clinical psychologist. Add certifications in areas such as play therapy, autism assessment or parent training as your career develops.

First Job

Start in a clinic, hospital, school or NGO, usually working under a senior psychologist. Build supervised experience in assessment and therapy, then move into private practice or specialise in child neurodevelopment.

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Social Worker

Non-Profit & Humanitarian Aid

Eligibility and Subjects Required

Stream and Subject Requirements

Class 12 in any stream for B.A. Psychology. Most colleges accept Arts, Commerce and Science students.
B.Sc. Psychology usually requires the Science stream with Physics, Chemistry and Biology or Mathematics, depending on the college.
Strong English, an interest in human behaviour and basic comfort with numbers help a great deal in statistics and research methods.
Typical minimum marks: around 50% in Class 12 for many undergraduate psychology programmes. Top colleges set higher cut-offs.

Minimum Qualification

Bachelor's degree in Psychology (B.A. or B.Sc.), with typically around 50% marks or more.
Master's degree in Psychology (M.A. or M.Sc.), usually in Clinical Psychology, for entry-level clinical work.
M.Phil in Clinical Psychology is often preferred for clinical roles and some registration routes.
Registration with the Rehabilitation Council of India as a clinical psychologist to practise independently. Confirm the current route with the Council.

Courses and Degrees for Child Psychologist

Undergraduate Degrees	Postgraduate Degrees	Diplomas	Certifications & Short-term Courses
B.A. Psychology (3 years) B.Sc. Psychology (3 years) B.A. (Hons) Psychology (3 years)	M.A. Clinical Psychology (2 years) M.Sc. Clinical Psychology (2 years) M.Phil Clinical Psychology (2 years)	Postgraduate Diploma in Child Psychology or Counselling (1 year) Diploma in Child Development (1 year)	Play therapy certification (around 3 to 6 months) Developmental and autism assessment workshops (duration varies) Parent training programmes (duration varies)

Undergraduate Degrees
- B.A. Psychology (3 years)
- B.Sc. Psychology (3 years)
- B.A. (Hons) Psychology (3 years)
Postgraduate Degrees
- M.A. Clinical Psychology (2 years)
- M.Sc. Clinical Psychology (2 years)
- M.Phil Clinical Psychology (2 years)
Diplomas
- Postgraduate Diploma in Child Psychology or Counselling (1 year)
- Diploma in Child Development (1 year)
Certifications & Short-term Courses
- Play therapy certification (around 3 to 6 months)
- Developmental and autism assessment workshops (duration varies)
- Parent training programmes (duration varies)

Entrance Exams for Child Psychologist

Exam	Level	Held	For Course
CUET UG (Common University Entrance Test, Undergraduate)	Undergraduate	Once a year, conducted by NTA	B.A. and B.Sc. Psychology at participating central and state universities
CUET PG (Common University Entrance Test, Postgraduate)	Postgraduate	Once a year, conducted by NTA	M.A. and M.Sc. Clinical Psychology at participating central universities
NIMHANS Entrance Test for M.Phil Clinical Psychology	Postgraduate (M.Phil)	Once a year (institute-level, dates to be confirmed)	M.Phil Clinical Psychology at NIMHANS, Bengaluru

Exam
CUET UG (Common University Entrance Test, Undergraduate)
Level
Undergraduate
Held
Once a year, conducted by NTA
For Course
B.A. and B.Sc. Psychology at participating central and state universities
Exam
CUET PG (Common University Entrance Test, Postgraduate)
Level
Postgraduate
Held
Once a year, conducted by NTA
For Course
M.A. and M.Sc. Clinical Psychology at participating central universities
Exam
NIMHANS Entrance Test for M.Phil Clinical Psychology
Level
Postgraduate (M.Phil)
Held
Once a year (institute-level, dates to be confirmed)
For Course
M.Phil Clinical Psychology at NIMHANS, Bengaluru

Top Colleges for Child Psychologist

Government Institutes

College	Location
NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences)	Bengaluru, Karnataka
Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)	Mumbai, Maharashtra
Banaras Hindu University	Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi	New Delhi, Delhi

College
NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences)
Location
Bengaluru, Karnataka
College
Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)
Location
Mumbai, Maharashtra
College
Banaras Hindu University
Location
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
College
Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi
Location
New Delhi, Delhi

Private Institutes

College	Location
Christ University	Bengaluru, Karnataka
Amity University	Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Lovely Professional University	Phagwara, Punjab
Shoolini University	Solan, Himachal Pradesh

College
Christ University
Location
Bengaluru, Karnataka
College
Amity University
Location
Noida, Uttar Pradesh
College
Lovely Professional University
Location
Phagwara, Punjab
College
Shoolini University
Location
Solan, Himachal Pradesh

Skills Required to Become a Child Psychologist

Technical Skills

Psychological assessment and standardised testing
Clinical interviewing and case history taking
Play therapy and child-friendly therapeutic techniques
Cognitive behavioural and behaviour management approaches
Report writing and clinical documentation
Basic statistics and research methods
Understanding of child development and neurodevelopmental conditions

Soft Skills

Empathy and patience with children
Clear communication with parents and teachers
Building trust quickly
Ethical judgement and confidentiality
Emotional resilience

Child Psychologist Salary in India

0 to 2 years

Entry Level

₹3 - ₹5 Lakh/annum

Typical job titles: Junior Clinical Psychologist, Child Psychology Intern, Assistant Psychologist
Supervised assessments, test administration, report drafting and support in therapy sessions

3 to 7 years

Mid Level

₹6 - ₹10 Lakh/annum

Typical job titles: Clinical Psychologist, Child Psychologist, School Counsellor
Independent assessments, a therapy caseload, parent guidance and liaison with schools

8+ years

Senior Level

₹12 - ₹20 Lakh/annum and above

Typical job titles: Senior Clinical Psychologist, Head of Child Psychology Unit, Private Practice Lead
Supervising trainees, setting up services, complex specialist assessments and private practice

Career Opportunities and Job Roles

Clinical Psychologist (Child)

Assesses and treats children with emotional, behavioural and developmental difficulties in clinics or hospitals.

School Counsellor

Supports students' learning, peer relationships and emotional wellbeing within a school.

Educational Psychologist

Assesses learning needs and advises schools on support for children with learning disabilities.

Play Therapist

Uses play and creative activities to help younger children express feelings and work through difficult experiences.

Neurodevelopmental Assessment Specialist

Carries out detailed assessments for autism, ADHD and learning disorders, often alongside paediatricians.

Teletherapy Child Psychologist

Runs online sessions with children and parents across India and, where licensing allows, abroad.

Child Welfare Counsellor (NGO)

Supports children in care, child protection and rehabilitation programmes run by NGOs.

Scope and Future of Child Psychologist in India

Demand for child mental health care is rising in India as awareness grows about learning disabilities, ADHD, autism and anxiety in children. Parents are more likely now to seek a psychological assessment early, and schools increasingly want trained counsellors on staff. Trained specialists are still concentrated in large cities, so demand outside metros often goes unmet.

Growth areas include teletherapy, school-based mental health programmes, early intervention centres for autism and developmental delay, and parenting programmes. Work that combines child psychology with speech therapy, occupational therapy or special education is also in demand. Public mental health services and government programmes for children with disabilities create further roles, though many public posts are filled through government recruitment.

Qualified psychologists can also work abroad, but overseas practice needs local licensing. In the UK, practitioner psychologists must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council, and in the US licensing is set state by state, usually requiring a doctorate and supervised clinical hours. Check the rules of the country you are interested in early, and keep records of your supervised hours.

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