Psychology Notes

NET JRF Preparation: An Insight into the Examination

  • NET (National Eligibility Test) is conducted by NTA (National Testing Agency) on behalf of UGC (University Grants Commission).
    • Determines eligibility for Assistant Professor or Junior Research Fellowship & Assistant Professor in Indian Universities and Colleges.
    • JRF award depends on performance in Paper-I (General Aptitude) and Paper-II (Psychology).
  • Conducted online twice a year, usually in June and December, for 3 hours (combined Paper I and Paper II) without a break.
    • Paper 1: 50 Questions, General Aptitude (10 units), No Negative Marking, Available Previous Year Questions.
    • Paper 2: 100 Questions, Psychology (10 units), No Negative Marking, Available Previous Year Questions.
  • Syllabus of the Exam:
    • Paper 1: General Aptitude (Teaching Aptitude, Research Aptitude, Comprehension, Communication, Mathematical Reasoning & Aptitude, Logical Reasoning, Data Interpretation, Information & Communication Technology, People, Development & Environment, Higher Education System).
    • Paper 2: Psychology (Emergence of Psychology, Research Methodology & Statistics, Psychological Testing, Biological Basis of Behavior, Attention, Perception, Learning, Memory and Forgetting, Thinking, Intelligence & Creativity, Personality, Motivation, Emotion, Stress and Coping, Social Psychology, Human Development & Interventions, Emerging Areas).
  • Qualifying NET Exam:
    • Only qualifies candidates for Assistant Professor.
    • Governed by recruitment rules of concerned universities/colleges/state governments.
    • NET Qualified + PhD degree is compulsory to become the Assistant Professor in India (as per UGC guidelines in 2021).
  • JRF (Junior Research Fellowship):
    • Qualifies for both NET exam and JRF.
    • Scholarship amount for those who enroll in MPhil or PhD.
    • Stipend of Rs. 31,000/- + HRA for initial 2 years and Rs. 35,000/- + HRA for next 3 years.
    • Preference over NET candidates in Research Projects.
  • Difference between NET and JRF:
    • NET: Qualified for Assistant Professorship, No Scholarship amounts.
    • JRF: Qualified for Assistant Professorship + JRF Scholarship, Stipend amounts as mentioned above.
  • Other Benefits:
    • NET: Direct Admission into PhD Programs, Eligibility for research Projects.
    • JRF: Direct Admission into PhD and MPhil Programs, Eligibility for research Projects, Preferred in Research Projects over NET candidates.
  • Scope and Opportunities in Psychology after NET-JRF:
    • Becoming an Assistant Professor using NET qualification.
    • Taking Direct Admission into PhD and MPhil Programs using NET or JRF qualification.
    • Stipend during MPhil and PhD for JRF qualified candidates.
    • Eligible for Research Projects by Government and private agencies using NET and JRF qualifications.
  • SET EXAM vs NET-JRF Exam:
    • SET is the State Eligibility Exam, conducted by individual states for Assistant Professor eligibility in State Universities and Colleges.
    • NET Exam is conducted only in English and Hindi, while SET exams are conducted in English and other languages recognized by Indian States/ Government.
    • NET Exam is conducted twice a year, while SET exam is conducted only once a year.
    • Syllabus of NET exam is given by NTA. Most of the SET exams follow the older syllabus of NET exam with some topics added or subtracted by the State or the Institute..
    • NET Candidate can apply anywhere in India for Assistant Professorship. SET candidate can only apply for the colleges/universities under that State jurisdiction.
    • As of now 15 states conduct their SET exams.
  • CSIR UGC NET-JRF Exam:
    • It is similar to NTA UGC NET-JRF exam other than the fact that it is for the Science and Technology field.

Preparing for the Exam

  • Improve test-taking skills.
  • Understand your learning style (timetable, notes, visual aids).
  • Know the syllabus thoroughly.
  • Learn exam details (marking schemes, number of questions, duration).
  • Solve Previous Year Questions and Mock Tests.
  • Anxiety Management:
    • Anxiety is natural and helpful for alertness and focus.
    • Learn to combat Anxiety effectively instead of hindering your preparation.
  • Make a Plan:
    • Separate Units/Topics that need more focus from Units that you are well versed with.
    • For Units that are your strength, start with their Mock Test first and then go to the theory.
    • For Units that are challenging, begin with theory, then Take one Mock Test, then analyses, go back to the theory and re-attempt Mock Tests and post that attempt more and more Mock Tests of that Unit.
  • Take your time and focus on yourself.
  • Study like a Psychology student, applying concepts from the syllabus.

Unit 1: Emergence of Psychology

1. ACADEMIC PSYCHOLOGY IN INDIA

A. PRE-INDEPENDENCE

  • Formal education in Psychology began in the early 20th century.
  • Wilhelm Wundt & Experimental Psychology.
  • 1905: First Experimental Psychology Laboratory established by Calcutta University.
  • 1923: Psychology included as a separate section in the Indian Science Congress.
  • 1924: Indian Psychological Association founded.
  • 1925: Indian Journal of Psychology appeared.
  • Girindra Shekhar Bose promoted psychoanalysis. Founded the Indian Psychoanalytic Society in 1922.
    • 1924:Indian Psychoanalytic Society affiliated with the International Psychoanalytic Society.
    • Bose received his Ph.D. on the 'concept of repression', the first Ph.D. from any Indian University in psychology.
    • 1940: Bose established the Lumbini Park Mental Hospital in Calcutta.
    • 1947: Bose brought out a journal 'Samiksha'.
  • 1938: Department started an Applied Psychology Wing in Calcutta University.
  • 1924: Mr. M.V.Goplswamy Head of department in Mysore and he was trained in ‘Psychological Assessments’.

B. POST-INDEPENDENCE

  • First generation of psychologists had a Philosophy background.
  • 1940-1960: Separate Psychology Departments largely started.
  • Jawaharlal Nehru promoted psychology, encouraging students to study abroad.
  • Psychology departments established in Mysore and Patna.
  • 1946: Psychology was started in university of Patna under two separate wings Experimental Psychology and Department of Applied Psychology.
  • 1956: The University Grants Commission was set-up.
    • There were 32 departments in Psychology by 1960.
  • Psychology offered in Engineering, Agriculture, and Management colleges.
  • Applied research started at NCERT, NIPCCD, etc.
  • Training for Clinical Psychologists was provided in three major centres such as All India Institute of Mental Health in Bangalore (now NIMHANS), Hospital for Mental Disease, Ranchi and Mental Hospital in Calcutta.
  • 1969: First convention of Clinical Psychologists held at All India Institute of Mental Health Bangalore.
    1961: Education Psychology introduced at MA level in the University of Calcutta.
  • The National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore is an institution of international repute.
  • 1954: NIMHANS department was started as the department of Psychology and Human Relations.
  • 1955: Diploma in Medical Psychology Programme was started in NIMHANS.
  • 1967: PhD Programme was started in NIMHANS.
  • 1968: The Indian Association of Clinical Psychologists (IACP) was started.
  • The Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICCSR) established in 1968 and monitored the status of research in Psychology in India.
  • By 1995, 70 out of 219 universities offered psychology.

C. 1970S: THE MOVE TO ADDRESSING SOCIAL ISSUES

  • Psychologists began to engage in socially relevant research to support National reconstruction and social development.
  • Psychological studies of the partition of India, evidencing concern in the rioting behavior of the masses.
  • 1950: Ministry of Education procured the services of Gardner Murphy through UNESCO to investigate the causes of communal violence.
  • Counseling and guidance emerged as an area of focus.
    • The guidance bureau at Patna inspired the establishment of similar bureaus in other states.
    • The Bihar Psychological Bureau worked on similar lines.
    • Parsi Panchayat Vocational Guidance Bureau provided services to students and brought out the Journal of Vocational and Educational Guidance.
  • Growth of psychology outside the university system.
    • 1950: The Ahmedabad Textile Industries Research Association (ATIRA) was established.
    • 1955: Advanced training programmes were introduced at the All India Institute of Mental Health.
    • Indian armed forces showed interest in using psychological tests in personnel selection.
    • Psychological Research Wing of the Defense Science Organization was set up in 1949.
  • Applied industrial psychology began to grow.
  • Interest in studying all spheres of organized work activities.
  • Social prejudice emerged as a major research interest.

D. 1990S: PARADIGMATIC CONCERNS, DISCIPLINARY IDENTITY CRISIS

Spiritual psychology for western academicians become “revivalism‟ for Indian academicians!
Durganand Sinha identified early attempts at Indian Psychology faces rejection due to notions like rebirth. Such notions were rejected because of negative attitude that we have inherited from our colonial past on the one hand and the influence of the scientific worldview on the other
Kiran Kumar observed a split in the personality - psychologist as a professional vs. psychologist as a person.
Psychology Departments were established by splitting the departments of philosophy.

  • Faculties with a background in philosophy completely dissociated themselves from their parent discipline.

E. CRISIS OF IDENTITY

  • Western psychology was failing to throw light on Indian social issues.
  • Indian psychology was going nowhere, hence came the crisis.
  • 1974: Nandy argued,