Handique Girls´ College in Guwahati, Assam, houses a well-regarded Department of Psychology established in 2011. It began with a general course and expanded to include a Major course in 2014, focusing on comprehensive psychology education under Gauhati University affiliation.
The department started offering general psychology courses in 2011, quickly gaining recognition for academic rigor. By 2014, it introduced a Major course to deepen specialized training. Founders Dr. Bidita Das and Dr. Suneeta Khanna Ganguly laid a strong foundation through dedicated leadership and mentoring.
Programs include FYUGP (Honours) undergraduate courses in Psychology. Admissions rely on 12th-grade marks, with competitive cutoffs varying by year; no CUET is required. The curriculum emphasizes practical skills, preparing students for fields like mental health and research.
Dr. Bidita Das (Ph.D, NET) is the present Head of Department and also the founder Head of the Department. She specializes in Positive Psychology and Organizational Behaviour and is active as Joint Secretary of Psychologists" Association of North East India. She is also recognised as a Ph.D supervisor for the Department of Psychology, Gauhati University and one of the first practicing Positive Psychologists of the region. With publications from reputed publication houses like Routledge, she is deeply associated with the academic and extracurricular environment of the college in various capacities.
Dr. Suneeta Khanna ganguly with over 21 years of teaching experience holds a PhD, MA (Psychology), MA (Sociology) and B.Ed degree. Her expertise lies in Counseling, Developmental, Social Psychology and Clinical Psychology. She has extensive publications on topics like social media addiction, cyberbullying, and parenting.
Faculty members hold advanced degrees, including PhDs, maintaining a supportive 1:20 student ratio. They have been using diverse teaching methods like case studies, role play and seminars since its inception in 2011. Regular classes, mentoring, remedial classes and assessments ensure consistent first-class results for graduates over the years.
The department fosters holistic growth via seminars, workshops, industrial/hospital visits, internships, yoga sessions, and practical assessment. It also has a Psychological Assessment Laboratory (PAL) with over 90 psychological assessments scales. These initiatives build real-world readiness.
Alumni of this department is thriving in industry, teaching, mental health, civil services and NGOs, reflecting the program´s versatility.
Reviews praise the department as one of the college´s strongest, ideal for mental health enthusiasts. With a vibrant environment, quality education is a non-negotiable attribute of the department where students from other departments also approach for counseling and career guidance.
