The University Counselling and Guidance Centre is a one-stop guidance point for a range of problems that beset Jamia students, claims Centre director Dr Akbar
Jamia Millia Islamia’s University Counselling & Guidance Centre (UCGC) started in 2004 has come of age. Taking into account the feedback of students, it seems that the Centre has emerged as one-stop guidance point under the stewardship of Jamia Vice Chancellor Professor Talat Ahmad.
“The counsellors are helpful and take several sessions to make sure that students return satisfied. The Centre is popular with students. During my period many of my friends benefitted from the Centre in getting right career guidance,” said Shahzad Khan, a former researcher at the university.
Many students on the campus concurred with Khan.
Dr Akbar Hussain, Hony Director, UCGC, said, “The Centre takes care of the students who approach us with complaints of problems of psychological nature like excessive stress, sense of anxiety and feeling low, depression, emotional disturbances, mood swing lack of confidence and concentration of mind etc. Such problems are addressed by the counsellors in various counselling sessions depending on its severity assessed through the use of psychological tests, while others come with career related issues like poor performance in exams, poor study habits, parental pressure and over expectation of parents etc.”
For students who lack knowledge of career opportunities, the Centre from time to time organises career guidance workshops. Also, workshops on anger management and time management, soft skills development are also organised by the Centre, said Dr Hussain.
So far (in current academic sessions) the Centre has provided counselling services to as many 1,264 students in total and out of which 181 at the individual level and 1,083 at group level, said Dr Hussain.
Also, group counselling sessions are given to the girl’s students residing in girls’ hostels.