Former vice-chancellor of Utkal University and a member of the 1st batch of Advanced Study in Psychology Dr Saroj Kumar Mishra, along with a senior most psychologist of the State expressed their grave concern over the dismal state of the Department of Psychology of the Utkal University in a seminar held here.
It was organised by the alumni of the Department of Psychology of the Utkal University and attended more than 65 delegates covering different fields of psychology in the State and outside. The speakers expressed their apprehension that the Advanced Center in Psychology, which started with record number of 18 Professors with Dr Radhanath Rath as its Head is now running with three teaching staff and without any requisite infrastructure.
The speakers including Dr Nilamadhab Rath, Head of the Psychiatry SCB Medical College, Cuttack, Dr Pravas Kumar Mishra, former Head of the Department CAS (Centre for Advanced Studies), Dr BK Dash, Dr Ajay Kumar Mishra and Dr Basant Kumar Dash, Dr Chintamani Mishra, Dr RK Pradhan, Dr Soumendra Muduli, Dr Biranchi Puhan, Dr Gopal Chandra Patra and Dr Dhaneswar Sahu expressed their anxiety about the future of the CAS in Psychology.
When psychology is spreading into different departments of human behaviour and claiming a position in scientific development of the world, the CAS is dying an untimely death, they lamented.
The technical session was presided over by Ramahari Mishra, Director of Naxatra Institute of Media Studies and a former student of Psychology. Rosalin Nayak, lecturer in Psychology, Jewel’s International Chetana College of Special Education, presented a paper on “Psychology: Today & Tomorrow” while Dr Bijaya Pati, Principal of Chetana proposed vote of thanks.